The Black Empire
by PaulXion
Summary: The Black Rebellion has succeeded and now Zero controls the fate of the nation within the palm of his hand. But he will not stop there. A whole world awaits him and this was but a taste of what was to come. Lelouch Harem.
1. The Liberation of Tokyo

**Code Geass: The Black Empire**

**Chapter 1: The Liberation of Tokyo**

Smoke rises from the deep, blotting the sun with its near ink-like message. Fires sparked, buildings torn down and soldiers cried out. There were only two reasons why a soldier would shout out this pleasingly into a battlefield. 1: would be because his commander ordered an all out attack against the enemy. 2: Victory was achieved.

And indeed victory was achieved. For when the smoke had finished and the skies cleared once more the soldiers of the Black Knights let out a jubilant cry of triumph that would've rocked the very foundation of Japan itself. The battle that they had fought was probably the toughest one they had ever encountered but nonetheless… with vigilance, honor and pride of having the blood of the Japanese running through their veins the soldiers had achieved total dominance against their Britannians occupants.

Though the soldiers fought their hardest… they all had to admit that none of it could've been achieved without the aid of their wise and powerful leader, Zero. The very man who did not just brought the freedom of Japan, but the downfall of the Britannians most powerful military commander, Cornelia Li Britannia.

**(Tokyo Government Bureau) (Commander's private quarters)**

Zero wasted no time in making the old Britannian government bureau to become the Black Knight's new headquarters. With the amount of resources, technology and information lying in this very structure, he found it to be an ideal place where he could stage his next plan to destroy Britannia. Upon his arrival at the bureau, Zero had taken the remaining Britannian military leaders inside of the building, prisoners and disabled its defenses before it could damage his army any further.

The fight for Tokyo was a costly one, and one that nearly crippled the Black Knights to a near irrecoverable state. But now that victory was in their hands all they could do was brace themselves for what was next to come.

Fortunately when the Black Knights took over they were amazed to the amount of resources that their enemies left behind for them to use. But Zero had no interest in petty Knightmares or equipments that they found. Instead, the cloaked man had found only one thing that could peak his interest… and that… was information. Luckily for him, the room which Cornelia used as her personal room had an abundance of such information. More than enough to satiate his thirst for now.

He knew that taking the government bureau would spark instigation all over the country and he loved it when he was right. When word came of the fall of this bureau to the Britannian forces, their chain of command was crippled and only a few pockets of resistance remained.

As Zero scrolled through Cornelia's personal computer, he discovered many documents which related to his homeland's security. But what bothered him at the moment was that he knew that Britannia would not allow one of their 'Areas' to secede without a fight. A counterattack was inevitable and he could only hope that the forces he had now would be enough to hold them back.

"Zero?" a knock came through the door which broke the boy from his trance. He recognized it as Kallen's voice, his ace pilot. "Zero, are you in there?"

Zero grabbed his mask and placed over his head before signaling her to enter. "Come in…" the girl entered upon his call. "You wanted something?"

"I just… wanted to give you an update on things" she stuttered for the first time in awhile. No matter how many times Kallen looked at the man called Zero, she could never place this strange feeling that she had in her heart. The leader gave her a positive sound which signaled her to continue. "Um… Tohdoh and his men have secured the airfield just as you requested and have already returned. He's waiting for you at the conference room. He stationed Chiba and Senba there to await the arrival of the Kanto Shoguns. Tamaki has secured the warehouse area where the illegally smuggled Knightmares were stored" she paused for awhile hinting Zero that there was a problem.

"A pause in your briefing states that there is a problem" Zero analyzed correctly.

"Well… during the occupation of the school… Ohgi was… shot…"

"Ohgi?" Zero quirked a brow. "Yes, I heard about it. I doubt he's dead…"

"No… he's injured at the moment but he won't be seeing action for awhile"

"I see…" Zero took a small breath of relief which Kallen could not hear. "Too bad… I hope he gets better soon. Anything else?"

"Well… Diethard has secured the media sector just as you requested. He just arrived a few minutes ago with all these camera equipments"

"Good. Then we are ready to begin our declaration of independence" Zero turned away from her and gazed at the information in the computer. "By the way. You should probably get your Guren repaired as soon as possible"

"Huh?" Kallen looked dumbfounded. "Why? Didn't we just win?"

"Wrong!" Zero snapped at her which made the girl jerk a bit. "You think taking the government bureau was a victory? No. It was only the appetizer for the main course. The climax of this revolution hasn't even begun yet"

"Revolution?"

"A rebellion and a resistance are nothing more but a nuisance to the empire of Britannia. If we are to defeat them, then we must show them that we are determined. A revolution is what we need if we are to inspire everyone on this planet"

"True… but…"

"Tell me something Kallen" Zero cut her off. "When you first fought Britannia at the Shinjuku ghetto, what did you make of them? (Huh?) Back then you barely even had a Knightmare to pilot and the only reason that you were able to put the enemy to a stalemate was because of my intervention and the Sutherlands I supplied you with. But even so… if I had not done that then what do you think may have happened? (Well… uh…) You would've been killed by Jeremiah and his ilk in that Glasgow"

"But what does have to do with…"

"Don't you see?" Zero interrupted her again. "When you saw the number of their vast army there is only one thing that clicks into your head: This enemy cannot be beaten. There are simply too many and even if you destroy ten Knightmares, the Britannians can simply replace them with new ones from their factories in just three minutes. Indeed… when a soldier realizes this they would immediately say that Britannia is a beast that cannot fall"

"But you proved that it can!"

"Exactly! Which is why I am calling this a revolution! With this act, I can show the world that it can happen. That Britannia is not the invincible nation that we thought it was. Britannia can be beaten and together we will show it!"

"Zero…" Kallen could not even begin to connect the awesome display that the man was showing her. Her leader was and still is the great man that she met in the outbound train on Lubline 5 that evening many months ago. His words were enough to move her and even though that she maybe over-exaggerating this, she actually believed that his words alone would be able to move even mountains if he really wanted to.

"Oh save it…" Kallen nearly yelped when a voice perked from behind. She turned around and saw C2 leaning on the slide door hugging tightly on her Cheese-kun. "Can you save all that bravado of yours for the cameras?"

Zero chuckled as he readjusted his mask. "I guess you're right. I must save what little strength I have left for the right moment. This battle is really wearing me out"

"Why don't you get some sleep then?" the immortal witch suggested. "You haven't had any sleep for two days straight now, haven't you?"

Of course this news alerted Kallen. "What?!" her eyes darted to Zero. "You haven't slept for two days?"

"I had to make some final adjustments to my plan" he said to her plainly as ever. "Though I have to admit that I did not expect Euphemia to act that way…" C2 noted that his hands were shaking a bit, Kallen however remained as ever oblivious to the truth.

"Say… Zero…" Kallen perked. "What did you and Euphemia discussed about? (Hmm?) Back before the massacre, you and Euphemia hid from the crowd. What did you talk about?"

Zero paused for a moment but was prepared for the question nonetheless. He knew that his crew would ask that but never expected it to be this soon. "I'll be honest with you… I was actually planning to join the Japan Special Zone" he lied but he held his form tightly with his unmatched acting skills. "But when Euphemia learned of my intentions, her soldiers ambushed me at the meeting room. I was able to escape but not without injuries"

"Injury?" Kallen's face shrieked. "You weren't shot were you!? Let's take you to the infirmary. They'll have you patched up in a minute and…"

"Relax" C2 groaned inwardly. "It's not like he's gonna die anytime soon"

"But still…" but before they could continue the argument any further, Diethard appeared out back with an excited face.

"Zero!" he exclaimed with a wide smile. "We're ready for you. Would you like anything else for me to do?"

"No… that would be all for now" Zero then closed the computer and locked it with a security code. Cornelia's password was easy to crack compared to all the other computers he had to hack in his time with the Black Knights. "Have Tohdoh and the other officers and the six houses of Kyoto ready at the conference room. I'll be with them shortly"

"I'll go on ahead then" Kallen bowed lowly but was quickly stopped by Diethard. "Hey what the?"

"I'm sorry but I can't allow you to go to the meeting room"

"What!? Hey don't push it with me! You may be a member of the Black Knights but I'm still Zero's personal guard!"

"Be that as it may, I cannot allow you to ruin Zero's image with that clothes you're wearing" the media man gestured to the pilot's dirty suit. "I don't really care much if you're Zero's personal guard but I will not allow you to bring him down just because you forgot to clean up. You should take C2 here for example. She's also a pilot but at least she's clean"

C2 looked at her pilot suit and quickly realized how clean she was. Her white battlesuit remained sparkly and not a trace of dirt could be found. Unlike Kallen, hers were filled with several stain of mustard and bread crumbs. One could guess that she had recently came from the cafeteria for a victory feast. "Hmm… I can't believe I'm saying this, but Diethard's got a point there Kallen" she teased grinningly. "You are a mess. You look like you've been playing in the mud"

"Grr why you…!"

"Enough" Zero's voice silenced any other argument. "The more we bicker, the stronger Britannia will grow. Diethard, go and double check everything before I arrive. C2, you go with him. Kallen, you get yourself cleaned up. You can use the bathroom here" he gestured to the private restroom which was made for the commander only. Kallen's face flushed upon hearing this. She never thought that Zero would be upset just because she didn't look decent. "Though as much as I want to disagree with Diethard and C2, they have a point. I can't let you ruin my image" he said in a slightly teasing tone.

"Z… Zero!" Kallen was now fuming but Zero chuckled away leaving the girl behind to let her steam cool off. "Hmph… I never thought he had a knack for teasing" not wanting to ruin the image of their great leader, Kallen decided to follow instructions and get herself cleaned up. She washed the dirt off her suit and fixed her hair neatly behind her back. The water in the building was refreshing but what surprised her more was the size of the bathroom itself.

She only expected to see a toilet and such but when she got there she was greeted with a queen sized tub and a shelf dedicated to perfumes and all sorts of beautification products. This made her wonder how much royalty and elitist spend just for caring of their own appearance. She wondered if Zero would mind if she used any of them. Not that she knew Zero used any of the colognes or any of that matter. But it just peeked her curiosity on the man even more.

As her eyes darted towards the tub again, she couldn't help but get a feel of the lukewarm water that was prepared there. _"Haaa… I can't seem to remember the last time I had a warm bath"_ she mumbled in her head. _"Ever since I joined the Black Knights… everything has been going down the dumps for me. The last time I even had a proper meal was before we even left for the Special Zone"_

But just as she was imagining herself having a nice and normal breakfast meal back in her home. Another thought came into mind when she began to imagine herself having company in the dining table. But it wasn't just any company that she expected. In fact… the person she imagined herself sitting across that dining table… was Zero.

With the masked man's face popped into her imagination, Kallen nearly flipped herself. "W… what!?" she nearly screamed at the top of her lunges. "Get a grip Kallen, you're losing it" she told herself while slapping her cheeks. "You just haven't had a good sleep, that's all" her eyes then darted towards the queen size tub for the third time. How she wished that she could lie there and let the water take all her stress away. But once she began imagining herself in that tub, she began to imagine Zero sharing the tub with her with his mask still on. "Whaaa!" it was then the girl fell flat on her back.

"Oww…" the ace pilot of the Black Knights groaned. "My head…" she was glad that no one else was in the area or else she would never live this down. Not wanting to let her imagination get the better of her, she quickly washed her face again just to get the tired look off her eyes. But just right before she left the restroom, she noted a handkerchief sitting idly on the shelf. It did not seem to be a part of the rest room because of its odd colors. In fact it almost looked like someone left it here.

It was then she remembered about this handkerchief.

"This is… Zero's…" she recalled seeing him with this handkerchief a few weeks ago during the battle of Kyushu. Before Zero departed off to aid Suzaku Kururugi in his Gawain, Kallen recalled seeing this very same handkerchief in the man's possession. "It really is…"

But then her mind was in conflict. What was she doing? If she took it then her pride and dignity would be severely damaged beyond repair. If anyone found out about this they would regard her as some sort of paparazzi or crazed fan of Zero or something. "I should probably go" but her actions was quick to conflict against her words as her hand tried to reach out for the object. "N… no! I shouldn't…" she tried to pull her other hand but it was futile. Upon grabbing the said piece of cloth, she immediately put it on her nose and sniffed it.

The smell in the handkerchief was almost like smelling weed but except it was more intoxicating and a lot more dangerous to her health. But Kallen couldn't help it. The smell of Zero was thick in this cloth and the hint of cologne that he used was very feint. Nonetheless it aroused her… more effectively than any medicine and more intoxicating than the drug, Refrain itself.

"My my… I should say that I didn't expect this" Kallen jerked her eyes in horror towards the door. She never expected anyone to come into Zero's room without his consent but little did she realize that the green haired figure looking at her was not one who would take his words seriously. "So this is how far the mighty ace pilot of the Black Knights has fallen eh? I have to say that I am quite humored"

"C… C2!?" Kallen panicked as she had no time to hide the piece of cloth in her hand. "W… what are you doing here!?"

"I came to pick up Cheesy" she gestured to her stuffed toy. "But who would've thought that I would find something a lot cheesier than this?" her eyes then tightened into a sly and teasing one. "I never thought that the great pilot of the Guren would be such a perverted woman"

Kallen waved the hankie which seemed to be a solid form of evidence. "T… this isn't what it looks like!"

"Oh but I believe that it is what it looks like" the witch said slyly again. "Look at you. Just one sniff from that thing and you're all sweaty again. I must say, wouldn't it be better to smell the whole thing rather than that thing? Come now. Zero is waiting for us at the conference room. Oh… and please try not to have your period during his presence. We wouldn't want to ruin his image now, do we?"

Kallen faced turned to the color of her hair when C2 mentioned that. If Zero found out about this there's no telling what he would do. Would he avoid her? Dismiss her as his personal guard and replace her with another? The mere thought of it dreaded her feelings down to her bones.

**(Twenty minutes later) (Conference room)**

One would not be able to speak his mind if he or she was to be in the presence of the conference room that early morning. A normal civilian would faint upon seeing the sight before them. Soldiers would stand in attention, hard and stiffened like stone, servants would bow in respect and nobles and bureaucrats would tremble in excitement and fear. Heck even the gods would take their time off their seats of power just to watch this little scene play off.

The square table in which many Britannian leaders and commanders have sat and discussed various topics of Area 11 was now firmly in the hands of the Black Knights and their supporters. Never before had there been such a gathering of Japan's most important individuals on one table, since the fall of the Kururugi regime seven years ago when Britannia invaded Japan and made it into their satellite colony.

On one side of the table stood the members of the six houses of Kyoto, a secret society that had supported many resistance groups throughout Japan. With them of course were Taizo Kirihara and Kaguya Sumeragi who in fact were the two large supporters of the Black Knights. And on the other side of the table, stood the leaders of the Black Knights Military forces, Kaname Ohgi, Kyoshiro Tohdoh and the members of the Four Holy Swords.

And finally, at the center of it all, on the third and final corner of the table stood one person who gathered everyone here.

Zero… the mysterious leader of the Black Knights and the liberator of Japan. Behind him stood none other than his personal companions, Kallen Kouzuki and C2 who were among the first to be in his revolutions.

When the camera started rolling, Zero stood from his seat to prepare for another one of his awe inspiring speeches. With his words alone he was able to move the hearts and minds of the people. With his mind he would be able to topple nations down. And with his hands raised into the air, the entire nation held their breath.

"People of Japan… and all those who are oppressed by the Empire of Britannia!" he began with his booming voice as usual. "Long have we fought… day by day all through the struggles. Long have I waited for Britannia to see the errors of their ways. But that hope was in vain… by the act of the cowardly princess, Euphemia Li Britannia with the massacre at the Japan Special Zone! With that… it proves that what Britannia intentions are! They are not satisfied with conquering one nation… but instead… to make it as their own by wiping all those who deemed unworthy!"

Kallen flinched for a split second upon hearing his voice echoing loudly through the hall. As she looked on both sides, she could see journalists, from independent media groups listening intently while their hands and fingers trembled with excitement. Those who were writing wiggled and smiled with glee, barely even able to compose themselves in front of the man. Those who were recording couldn't even remain still for a split second.

"I stand now before you… at the government bureau of Britannia in which was the symbol of their dominance over Japan. With this movement, I hereby officially… declare our independence from Britannia! With this… you have succeeded in our exodus. With this… you have regained our pride! With this… you have once again regained your title as Japanese!"

A loud roar could be heard from the outside of the building. Kallen had to guess that Tamaki and those remaining were watching and listening to this speech with no interruptions. Upon listening to their cheer she could not help but smile.

"People of Japan! I ask you now… lift your head once more out of the shadow! Stand and gaze proudly at the sun in which your land was named after! Stand… and shout out till your heart's content. You have earned your freedom! Be proud to call yourself a Japanese!" and with that, the conference ended with a loud cheer from the outside.

When all the mass media group had left with their thirst for Zero's prowess quenched, the Black Knights decided to prepare for their confrontation with the situation at hand. With Japan now liberated, the people began to ask what to do next. Who will lead them and what do they intend to do after all of this?

"Well…" Zero remarked. "With the mediocre task done, let us get on to business shall we?" the other officers of the Black Knights nodded in agreement. "Kyoshiro, what's the status of our forces?"

The Lt. Colonel tensed slightly to the mention of his name. Though he may appear calm on the outside, the man could never get used to Zero's voice. "We took heavy casualties when we besieged the government bureau" he began with a calm collected voice. "Over fifty of our Knightmares were destroyed and a large number of vehicles as well. We set up medical facilities in various areas treating the injured and collecting bodies. Though we've managed to salvage some of our equipments we've completely exhausted nearly all of our resources"

"We were able to capture a few Knightmares that were stored in the warehouse as you ordered" Chiba continued for him. "The supplies in the building will be able to last us a couple of week but it's bound to run out sooner or later"

"We'll have to find a way to produce our own resource soon" Ohgi placed a few documents on the table. "I was able to locate several factories that are still in working conditions and a field hospital where we store our wounded"

"Food, water and medical supplies are what we need now" Tohdoh added. "We need to gather support of the people and to do that we will need abundance of resources available"

"The six houses of Kyoto will be able to handle that" Kaguya said suddenly which surprised everyone. "Now that Britannia is gone, we can finally focus on agriculture and reconstruction again rather than supporting military activities"

Tohdoh's face quickly beamed with a hint of a smile. "Then, will you be able to support the entire country then?"

"Society will have to be brought back first" Taizo reasoned. "If we simply give then we will surely be the ones who lose the most. We can supply at least 60 percent of the nation's population with food and other needs but to do that we will have to expand our agriculture areas and irrigation"

"As much as I would like to discuss the future with you gentlemen… I believe there is a much urgent task that we must secure" Zero called in to the attention of his soldiers. "Tohdoh, have the weak and the wounded transferred to Kyoto and bolster our defenses in Tokyo. (What!?) We may have won the battle but not the war. Just because we defeated one enemy doesn't mean it is done with us"

"Ridiculous" Chiba motioned. "We defeated a large bulk of the Britannian forces. There's no way they can…"

"You really are simple minded" Zero snorted. "Our enemy is a nation that governs 1/3 of the world's population. If you think that they have been beaten back then surely you are mistaken. Britannia is like a hydra. Cut one head off and three more comes to take its place"

"But surely you don't think…" that was as far as Chiba got when the door to the conference room opened. A Black Knight soldier rushed in to the center of the open side of the table and lowered his head slightly to Zero.

"Commander Zero…" he panted through breaths. "The enemy! It's just as you said… the Britannians are coming!" every member inside the room were quick to face the soldier in horror. "A large cohort had just crossed into the Pacific Ocean and are making their way here!"

"Tch…" Zero grunted. "They moved faster than I expected. What are their numbers?"

"Three battalions from what the unit you sent to the Pacific reported, sir" he answered.

"I… impossible" Chiba muttered in shock. "How can the Britannian recover so fast?"

"A counterattack…" Tohdoh gritted his teeth. "These Britannians don't really spare any resource now, don't they?"

"That only goes to show how powerful the Britannians are" Zero commented before he issued his orders. "Alright. It appears that the battle for Japan has not yet ended. Prepare all forces. We march to battle!"

"But Zero!" Ohgi stated. "Our forces are a complete mess. We barely have enough troops to defend the area"

Zero eyed him for a moment before turning his attention to the Lt. Colonel. "Tohdoh… how many soldiers do we have now? Combined with the numerous resistance groups, they should sum up to the amount of thousands I presume"

"Yes" the man answered. "We're distributing weaponries to them as we speak. However I doubt we'll be able to match against three battalions"

"The enemy outnumbers us 10 to 1 but that doesn't mean that the battle has already been decided. With my strategies and your courage… anything is possible" Zero then ordered the guards to bring a country map of Japan and placed it on the wall. "Alright… listen up. The battle we fight now will probably be the toughest one up to date. I assume that the Britannian forces that had come to reoccupy Japan will be better equipped to deal with ground forces since they know that we have almost no air support"

"We're basically just grinders" Tohdoh grumbled knowing that Zero was correct. Their army did only consist of Sutherlands, Glasgows, Burais and vehicles. They did have a few ships but a small fleet like that would be no match for the enemy's armada.

"First things first" Zero continued. "The members of the six houses of Kyoto, along with the wounded and the weak are to be transferred to Mt. Fuji base. There they will be treated and be kept safe from all harm while we, the Black Knights will mount a full scale defensive battle against Britannia. Our numbers are limited and so are our reinforcements. Aerial power is almost none and to fight them on land to sea will be pure suicide. If the creation United States of Japan is to succeed then we will have to destroy the enemy force completely"

A murmur of discontent among the officers began to wonder how they would be able to pull off that kind of a stunt. They were outnumbered, outgunned and now… they're going to be outmaneuvered.

"Zero…" Kallen spoke up a little nervous. "I don't mean to be rude but we're facing against a legion of enemies. Even if we did resist, wouldn't they overwhelm us?"

"That's right" Ohgi agreed. "We don't have enough bullets for them. Even if we used one bullet for each soldier they'll still be more of them"

"You speak as if you have already lost" Zero looked at them slightly disappointed.

"It's called reality check" Chiba spoke to him bitterly. "Our forces dwindled thanks to the siege of the government bureau. Now we're only at 25 percent of our strength even with the combined might of the resistance group. And to fight air units is almost impossible. Not all of us here are visionaries like you Zero"

"Visionary?" Zero laughed. "You insult me with such words, Nagisa Chiba. Hehehehe…"

"That's because we face reality Zero" Chiba added, her words still as blunt as usual. "During the battle of Itsukushima, we faced the enemy on equal ground even without Knightmares but going through a defense against them in Tokyo is pure suicide. There's a difference an unwinnable battle and a lost battle"

"Chiba!" Zero finally snapped at her. She dared to use Tohdoh's remark against him. "Tell me something…… what is the difference between the war we fight now and the war you fought seven years ago? (Huh?) Answer the question. What differences are there to the battle now and the battle then?"

The girl fell into silence for a few seconds before finally answered. "We had no Knightmares back then"

"That's equipments which is based only on the technology of the country" Zero cut her. "I asked you for the difference"

"Our forces were relatively smaller than…"

"Even now our numbers are small" Zero again cut her off. "I asked you… WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?" the girl fell silent as if the man in front of her had turned into a giant and herself turn into a mouse. Seeing that she wasn't going to respond, Zero decided to answer for her. "Do you know why the resistance in Area 11 is more intense than that of any other Areas in Britannia? It is because Japan surrendered to their enemies before exhausting all of its military strength. In you, you carry the hope of being part of the miracle that took place Itsukushima. I'll admit… we do not have enough resource to fend off the enemy, but it is here that I give you your chance to redeem yourself"

"Redeem?"

"Yes…" the Black Knight leader answered. "Seven years ago Japan surrendered when its military power was still able to fight back. But you surrendered then when Prime Minister Kururugi was assassinated on the day he announced a do or die resistance"

The other members widened their eyes at this. "What?" Asahina gasped. "Prime Minister Kururugi… was assassinated?"

"What proof do you have of this?" Senba asked looking a bit baffled. "It was said that Prime Minister Kururugi committed suicide, was it not?"

"Colonel Tohdoh" Zero turned to the man. "You knew Genbu Kururugi personally, did you not? I remember someone telling me that you came to his household personally. Did he seem like a man who would go back on his word?"

The colonel paused… unsure on how to answer that question. As he looked back during the time of Japan's golden age, he remembered on how he met the Prime Minister himself and what kind of a man he was. "No…" he answered finally. "Though Genbu may not be the strongest fighter he held his honor. I never really believed that he would commit suicide after making that speech"

"Then we are in agreement" Zero chuckled. "So here you are now, standing in the same situation 7 years ago. Will you honor his last request… of fighting until the last man standing?"

The colonel only grinned as he looked back at Zero with a determined face. "So that's what you're saying aren't you…? The difference between back then and now…"

"Oh… so you understand after all" Zero grinned as well. "Yes. That's correct. The only significant difference back then was ME"

With this knowledge in mind, Tohdoh couldn't help but chuckle. Once he recomposed himself, he lowered his head slightly to the masked man and showed a hint of a smile cross through his face. "What are my orders… Zero…?"

"A simple one…" Zero motioned to the map. "It's either we live in shackles or die with honor…" with everyone's attention now fully focused on him, C2 couldn't help but laugh inwardly to herself. The boy had a knack of twisting information and placing the assassination of Kururugi right there and now was an excellent move in his favor. He lied all the way here… and a single truth wasn't going to ruin his image one bit.

"Hmm…" the immortal witch smiled. "This really is getting interesting…"

"Alright…" Zero began his mission briefing to the group. "The enemy may outnumber us but they do not have the forces needed to take the entire country. Their mission is to restore stability to the nation and lower the Japanese people's spirit by retaking important locations. They will undoubtedly try to retake three key points"

"How much time do we have?" Tohdoh questioned.

"Seven days" Zero answered with a small but stern voice. "Ten days if the weather proves to be in our favor. But once they enter Japanese water territory they will attacks these areas. One will be Osaka, which will be used as their base to forward their campaign westward. Second will be Tokyo since we have one of their royal family members, Princess Cornelia and the government bureau. Third would be the port at Kanagawa in which to be used as their foothold on Japan. The Black Knights will begin preparations in defending these three areas with all of our might"

"Sir!" the group barked in unison.

"Right then. Tohdoh, you take the majority of our forces and head to Osaka" Zero pointed at the map. "Evacuate the city to Kyoto and strengthen its defenses in anyway you can. You may absorb any resistance member you find. We'll need all the resources we can pool up. You may also take the Four Holy Swords with you"

"Understood"

"Ohgi, you will take your unit along with the G-1 mobile base to Kanagawa and set up defenses there. The city was long since abandoned so you don't need to worry about collateral damage. Kallen will accompany you on this mission"

"Right…"

"As for me… I will remain here with whatever forces that remains" the group looked to him again with a startled face. "The main bulk of the Britannian force will probably be paratroop here and I have a good feeling that they will drop in Knightmares, and all sorts of powerful weapons against this place"

"Wait a minute!" Kallen spoke out. "If you're going to make a stand with the biggest group, then at least let me stay with you, you'll be outgunned the moment you start fighting" she reasoned well knowing the defenses of the city. "My Guren alone can hold a dozen of them off"

"The battle that will take place in Tokyo will be from the air Kallen" Zero explained. "The Guren Mk-II was specifically designed to fight in close combat, which is exactly why I am sending you with Ohgi since most of the troops he's going to face are land based units. Other than your Slash Harkens and your grenade launcher your aerial capabilities are nothing. You will be most effective there"

"Then why not equip the Guren with a FLOAT system?"

"Impossible" came Rakshata's voice as she entered the room. "The FLOAT system doesn't match with the Guren's specs and even if I could make one for you, it would take me at least a week or two to create one"

"But I…"

"If there are no more objections then I would like to begin the plan immediately" Zero stated again with his voice ever so loudly. "Gather your men and move out when you are ready. Contact me if there should be any changes in the plan. Dismiss" and with one salute, the members of the Black Knights were dismissed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upon leaving the room, Zero was immediately followed by Kallen and C2 through the hallway. They later arrive at the hanger bay where the captured Sutherlands were being repainted and refitted to the Black Knight's purpose. As they looked to the other end of the hanger they could see numerous repair crews moving in to fix the damaged Gawain and Guren that had sustained considerable amount of damage. Even though they were only but few of the specially made frames, they were not invincible. Zero knew this through experience fighting in Burais.

Kallen herself could not believe what she was seeing. A few months ago she was managing a small resistance group in the ghettos fighting with only very limited resources. Back then whenever they had a vehicle they would be lucky just to find a mechanic to get it running again but now, they had an army at their disposal. Soldiers running left and right saluting at them at the same time. Back then they would have a hard time just smuggling in weapons and ammo into the ghettos, but now… Knightmare frames and heavy artillery weapons were being shipped in without one's notice.

She even had a hard time believing it herself. One moment she was a small time terrorist fighting the Britannians with an assault rifle and now she was renowned as the Guren pilot… Zero's most trusted soldier and the Red Lotus or so they say.

As she thought about the changes in her life, she didn't notice Zero had already gone off to see the repairs being done on the Gawain. "Ah!"

Zero observed the maintenance being done on his frame. Not only was this Knightmare unique, it was also terrifying due to its size and sheer firepower alone. It was perhaps a giant among giants if one would say so himself.

"It looks like Rakshata spared no expense in making the Gawain operational again" Zero muttered.

"That's because you literally used it to destroy the frontlines of the Britannians defenses" C2 recalled the event that happened during the Black Rebellion. It was true. When Zero rushed in to destroy the enemy forces, the Gawain took most of the attacks so that his forces would be able to move in on the government bureau itself. It didn't matter if it was AP bullets or cannon fire, the Gawain did not falter one bit. Instead Zero just increased his attack and began destroying every automated gun turret he could see with his Hadron Cannon.

"Heh… yeah… now I remember" Zero chuckled in remembrance to that faithful event. "That reminds me… what happened to Cornelia? After I defeated her I left her at that replica of Aries Villa"

"She's currently in the jail cell below us" C2 answered. "Her knight Guilford is also with her along with the pilot of the Lancelot, Suzaku and the researchers Lloyd and his assistant" she noted the man making a 'hmph' sound which she could not tell if it was a good or bad one. "Is it alright to keep them alive? I mean a few of them did see your face after all. They could prove to be a nuisance and Suzaku could become a threat if he escapes"

"Though I undoubtedly believe that Cornelia hates me to her very core for killing Euphemia, she proves to be much more useful to me alive" Zero replied holding his form. "And Suzaku is a personal matter. I will deal with him once we've repelled the Britannian counterattack. Also… a royal family as a bargaining tool and bait makes her all the most tasteful"

"Bait?" Kallen caught their conversation just right at the very end. "What do you mean, bait?"

Seeing that she caught wind of his hand he decided to come clean. "The reason why the Britannian main force is coming here is not necessarily to capture the government bureau. They know that I have Princess Cornelia here with me so it makes this city all the more attractive to their taste and if that is not enough to arouse them, then perhaps my presence here might nab their attention"

C2 made a face. "It looks like you're making yourself a target. Do you expect to live through this battle?"

"Of course…" he answered slyly.

"Then why don't you make me join you!?" Kallen begged. "If they see me in another unit they'll probably be suspicious. If I stay here they'll know that you are here"

"We've discussed this already Kalllen" Zero reasoned. "Besides… the Gawain will already be proof of my presence here"

"But if you remain here you'll be isolated from the others! You won't have enough reinforcements to hold off their main force. Please, you're the reason why I'm still alive. Let me protect you"

"Kallen…" Zero looked at her. "If you like, I can give you another reason to survive this battle. (Huh?) The purpose of the Zero squad was to protect me, but at the same time it is to obey my commands only. But for you… you have a reason to come back"

"A reason… to come back?"

"Yes…… and here… I give you that reason…" he handed her a small object in what appeared to be a photograph. When Kallen glanced at the person who was in the photo she realized that it was…

"Mother?"

"Yes" Zero nodded. "Mrs. Kouzuki was found in an intern prison during the attack in Tokyo. I ordered her release and she is now currently being safely transported to the Safe Zone in Kyoto"

"Safe Zone?"

"The Japan Special Zone" C2 clarified. "The six houses of Kyoto have made it their personal base to assist the people. They're also trying to help those who were wounded during the massacre"

"I also hear that they have discovered a cure for Refrain as well" Zero added making Kallen beam. "I gave the order personally that she gets special treatment so the next time you meet her, she'll be on her two feet"

"My mother…… is alright…" a drop of tear began to form at the corner of Kallen's eyes as she finally managed to sing all the information in. Her mother who she thought that she would never see again in twenty years was alive and kicking and… she was going to be cured from the effects of that accursed Refrain. "I… I'm sorry… it seems like I have some dust in my eyes"

"Of course……" Zero smiled. "Now listen to me Kallen. This is my order to you……" he paused for a moment giving the girl a moment to let out a sob. "You must return alive. Not just for me but for your mother as well. And I'm certain that she would want to see you too"

"Yes… yes sir!" Kallen saluted while her tears broke through.

But just as they were having a peaceful moment, a Black Knight soldier came through. "Commander Zero" he saluted. "We have a situation sir! A large number of Britannian Knightmares have been sighted on the ruins of the city outskirts!"

"What!?" Zero's eyes widened. "Have they begun their counterattack already?"

"No sir. Colonel Tohdoh believes that they may be the remnants of the Britannian forces. Tamaki's unit is on standby just outside of the city along with twelve units"

"Remnants eh?" Zero scoffed. "These insects just don't know when to surrender. Prepare the Guren and the Gawain for combat. We'll want to limit the amount of damage to our forces to as little as possible. Kallen…?"

"Yes sir!"

**(Tokyo Outskirts)**

Ruined.

That one single word was all that was needed to describe the outskirts of Tokyo city. Buildings and bridges were tumbled down to one another and the very structure that held the city together was the very same thing that caused it to crumble into the earth. Skyscrapers and office towers intertwined with one another making it impossible for people to travel without risk. But on the outskirts of these ruined buildings, a single patrol of Sutherlands were making their way to a thick line of Black Knight defenses.

The small band of twenty Sutherlands was led by a unit similar to their own painted in blue. As they approach the defense lines they were immediately greeted by a small firearm from a Glasgow.

"Whoa what the!?" the leader of the unit stopped. "All units halt and take cover!" he ordered in which the troops immediately obeyed. "This is commander Elie Deledantes of the 5th regimental guard, Titans. I demand to know who opened fire!"

"Well well well, look at this" Tamaki smirked in his frame. "Looks like we got ourselves some Britannian pretty boys! If you came to retake this place kid then you'll have a fight on your hand! This territory now belongs to the Black Knights, get ready to rock!"

"Black Knights?" the boy known as Elie recognized the name. "Wait a minute! We didn't come here to fight!"

"Like we'll trust the word of a Britannian!" and without any warning, Tamaki rushed towards the blue Sutherland with his troops. "Take this!"

"Damn it!" not wanting to damage either unit, Elie maneuvered his unit back while signaling the others not to interfere. "This guy is no joke. He's got the spirit… but not the techniques" he then began dodging the bullets being fired at him. "Please, hold your fire. I simply came to talk!"

"The time for talk is over Britannian!"

"Damn… there's no reasoning with this guy" seeing now that the man was just a muscle head who uses his fists to settle things, Elie decided to counterattack. Using the Sutherland's speed and limited agility, he tackled Tamaki's Glasgow down to the ground using his shoulder and disarming it in a literal form. "I have taken your arms. You now stand no chance in fighting me"

But as always the guy was persistent. "Not yet! I'm not giving in!" he began kicking the blue Sutherland with his legs. "I got pride too you know!"

"Persistent!" Elie then de-legged him with his tonfa weapon with relative ease. "There… that should keep you down. Now listen, we're not here to…"

"Tamaki!" just when he was about to explain things, the Guren suddenly appeared before the forward units and nearly caught the blue frame with its gauntlet.

"No way…" Elie's eyes widened. "The Guren…… then that must mean that you're… the Black Knight's Ace"

"So what!? Big deal!" using the Guren's speed, Kallen rushed towards the frame to get it close enough for her radiant wave surger to burst its metallic structure into flames. But to her surprise, the pilot of the frame was a lot more skillful than what she had hoped. "Wha? He's fast for a Sutherland…"

"Please wait. I did not come here to fight. I came to talk with Zero"

"Oh yeah!? And what then? You'll kill him when you get the chance?" Kallen barked. "There's not a damn reason good enough to excuse you!" without warning, the Guren rushed towards Elie again with its fork-knife drawn.

"Damn… are all Black Knights like this?" with a move that would've impressed Tohdoh himself, the pilot of the blue Sutherland tapped the Guren's knife away and punched it straight at the face with a loud clank noise followed after. "This isn't good. She's a tough nut to crack. My mega punch didn't even work"

"You'll have to do better than that to stop me!" Kallen taunted with a grin on her face. "I'm not called Zero's Elite Guard for nothing!" she was about to charge again until a Hadron blast suddenly came in between their fight. "What the!?"

"Kallen, that's enough…" came a voice which made all the Black Knights gasped in shock. Just right above them, riding on the damaged Gawain's unclenched hands bearing the mask of the hero and the mind of a god was none other than Zero himself. The leader of the Black Knights. "The man has not made any violent moves yet and has already made a point that he wishes to see me"

"Zero…" Kallen and Elie muttered in unison.

"You there" Zero pointed at the blue Sutherland's head camera. "You wished to speak with me?"

"Y… yes sir!" Elie stuttered nervously in his cockpit. "I mean yes, Mr. Zero… sir…"

"If you come in peace then come out and meet me face to face. I'd rather talk with someone on the ground rather than on a screen if it can be avoided"

Elie gulped a chunk of his own saliva as he knew that he was right. Zero was indeed the master of words and now he knows why the Black Knights follow him. After taking a small breather, he took out the key to his Sutherland and exited the frame with his hands in the air.

The moment the Black Knight saw his face and his wheat colored hair they immediately knew that he was a Britannian or at least a foreigner in that matter. Kallen saw this and was quick to ready herself just in case if the guy should pull out any brave moves.

"Hmm…" Zero analyzed the boy's features, looking all the way from his head to toe. He was young that much was true, probably the same age as himself. He had one green eye and one blue eye which seemed rather odd. Perhaps a half-blood? "You're a Britannian, are you not?" he asked finally.

"Yes… I am…" the boy admitted. "I am Baron Elie Damon Deledantes of the house of Deledantes of Britannia. I am the commander of the 5th regimental guard of Nagashino, the Titans"

"Regimental guard?" Zero's eyes slightly widened. "Then that means you command the Honorary Britannians military units"

"Yes…" Elie nodded nervously at the man. "I was able to take these Sutherlands with me when the chain of command fell. So I thought I brought them here" he then waved to his companions to exit from their frames exposing their faces to the others. "They are all honorary Britannians from Nagashino and Hokkaido. There are also a few from Chugoku coming here as well"

"And from what you're saying, you wish to join us?" Zero looked skeptical, but he understood well since the trust to Britannians was at an all time low at the moment.

"Yes… sir…" Elie nodded.

"Hmm… then I guess you'll be good for the frontlines then"

"What? Zero!" Kallen barked. "You're letting him join us!? He's a…"

"A valued soldier…" Zero cut her off smiling widely behind his own mask. "Elie Damon Deledantes, a trusted soldier of the Britannian Empire and also a friend to the Numbers in various Areas around the world" he quickly remembered scanning through the boy's name when he was checking out the info in Cornelia's computer. "When the Britannians were about to issue a mass execution of Elevens at the harbor you dismissed your own title as a Knight of Honor to save tens of thousands. You were demoted to the rank of Captain after that event but retained your noble title as Baron. You were then known as the Blue Baron after the battle of Area 12"

To say the least, Elie was surprised on how the man was able to analyze him so quickly. "Y… you know of me?"

"Only quite recently" he admitted. "But if you're going to be fighting on my side, then I welcome you and your regiment" Zero then waved to his soldiers. "Lower your weapons. He's not an enemy"

"Thank you… lord Zero…" Elie bowed deeply before regrouping with his other men with a small smile up his face. But inside of him he was trembling like an ant that had just seen an anteater and lived to tell the tale.

**(5 hours later) (Ashford Academy)**

After Zero had accepted the Britannian commander, Elie into his ranks he quickly issued the orders to the other officers of their mission. With the coming decisive battle for Japan slowly approaching in seven days time, everyone had been on an uproar. But thanks to Zero's genius tactical plan he was able to get everyone organize within a record time. On the first flight out of the city, the members of the six houses of Kyoto were sent off to the Safe Zone to preserve the power houses of Japan. After awhile, Tohdoh and Ohgi soon left the city to their designated areas to fortify their defenses against Britannia's counter attack. The inevitable battle that will determine the fate of this country was about to take its course.

With everyone working together, Zero decided to visit Ashford Academy in which he personally made sure that a small company of guards were there to keep everyone safe from Japanese who were rampaging through the streets.

"Who goes there!?" one of the guards saw Zero coming. "C… commander Zero! Sir!" he pulled his gun away and saluted.

"At ease…" he stated with a hand gesture. "Has there been any problems?"

"No sir. A few breakouts from the students but no one got hurt, sir. We tried getting to the student council but a maid suddenly leaped out at us and knocked five of our guards down"

"Sayoko…" Zero muttered remembering the ninja maid's name. "Any other problems?"

"Well…" the soldier grumbled. "There was one girl who tried using a Sakuradite bomb using a Ganymede Knightmare frame. She was planning to blow up the entire school but it malfunctioned at the end"

"A Sakuradite bomb?" Zero's eyes widened. "Even a small destabilized Sakuradite can destroy an entire building within a two second time span. To make a bomb would require a substantial amount of that material. Did you happen to get the name of this girl?"

"Yes sir" the man then took out a piece of paper from his pocket which contained several info that he needed. "Nina… Einstein, sir"

"_Nina… I should've known"_ Zero shook his head in disappointment. _"You must've lost it when you heard of Princess Euphemia's death. I guess it's my fault huh…"_

"We transferred her to the storehouse area" the guard continued. "We stationed two guards with her so that she won't cause anymore trouble. She's been crying ever since"

"I see…" he grumbled. "Can you spare me two guards? (Huh?) There's a student that I wish to see at the moment but I would be more comfortable with two guards with me"

"Uh… of course sir. I'll call the reserve unit right away" and with the man off to radio in the guard station, C2 approached her accomplice.

"Are you planning to visit Nunnally again?" she asked which Zero only replied with a small smirk. "I know that she is blind but you must understand that you cannot turn off your Geass anymore"

"I know… which is why this mask shall remain on me until my mission is complete" Zero sighed. "Normal colored contact lenses won't do a thing so it's useless to try and do so"

"If you want, I can make some special lenses for you. It'll take awhile but it should be able to block your Geass power"

Zero looked back at her… dumbfounded by her offer. "I would appreciate it. But now it's time to make sure that my intentions are given. So long as no one knows who I really am then everything will be fine, but to do that I will have to put on a small act. You stay here. If Nunnally hears your voice then it might cause some complications"

"Now that's rude. Keeping a girl out in the cold while you're out there flirting with the others. How un-gentleman of you. And here I thought that you were raised by nobles"

"I was raised by the coldness and harshness of mankind" Zero humored. "The only love I ever known is from war and battles and the lies from nobility. Zero needs nothing else and therefore he is nothing else…"

"A paradox…"

"Yes… so is born… Zero" Zero motioned to himself. "Now go back to the government bureau. You can have Sugiyama make you some pizza if you want"

"Very well" C2 ruffed. "I know when I'm not needed. I'll see you then…" with her emotionless reply, the girl departed for the government bureau to begin the preparations of the Gawain.

**(Student council room)**

"Man, this sucks…" that was the whining voice of the student council member, Rivalz Cardemonde as he slouched idly on the meeting table. "How much longer do they intend to keep us in here? It's already been hours and I could barely even get a wink of sleep with all the shooting last night"

"Don't tell me you need to go to the restroom again" Milly Ashford grumbled while sitting in a very carefree manner. "You went there like four times already"

"Hey when a guy has got to go then he really got to go. Besides that's not the point" the boy gestured to the TV which was surprisingly still being broadcast by a Britannian channel. It was showing how the Black Knights retook Area 11 in one night and the authorities back at the homeland were already preparing to come and forced order back into society. "What do you think will happen to us? I mean… now that the Black Knights has gotten control over the city, they won't need us for long"

"Are you saying that they'll kill us?" Shirley, another member of the student council shrieked in panic. "That's horrible. We didn't do anything wrong!"

"I'm just sticking to reality here" the blue haired boy replied, holding his hand in defense. "I mean look at it. The Black Knights has total control over the city. They got Suzaku and the Honorary Britannians by there side and not to mention the Lancelot too. Leaving us alive will only waste their resources. I wouldn't be surprised if they killed everyone around here"

"Rivalz!"

"Do you really think… that they would do that?" Nunnally trembled in her wheelchair.

"Of course not!" Milly quickly whacked Rivalz with a newspaper roll and rushed to Nunnally's side. "He's just joking. They wouldn't do that. Remember: The Black Knights are the knights of justice. They wouldn't hurt anyone, especially innocent angels like us"

"Yeah" Shirley agreed trying to reassure her. "Besides, we have Sayoko here. She kicked their butts with one hand tied behind her back!" the said maid chuckled at them. But just when they were cooling off with their usual laugh and carefree attitude, the door to the room suddenly whished open revealing four guards that had been patrolling the area. "Ahh!"

When Sayoko caught sight of this she quickly prepared herself for battle with her kunais unclipped from her thighs.

"Alright nobody move!" one of the soldiers barked with his gun pointed at them. "There's someone who wants to see you all!"

"Ahh! Is it time already!?" Rivalz rushed off hiding behind Milly in a very un-heroic manner. He trembled and gasped and prayed hoping that what he said earlier wouldn't come true. Shirley too hid but not without bringing Nunnally with her.

"At ease…" the masked figure that appeared from the other side of the door motioned to his guards to lower their weapons. "We did not come here to kill anyone"

"Zero!!?!" Rivalz was now trembling in his pants as he saw the mighty leader of the Black Knights stand before him. "Oh man… seeing you one time was terrifying, but seeing him again is gonna make me make my pants!"

As Milly saw the state of her student council members, she quickly made a bold face to meet with the leader of the Black Knights. "Yes… you need something, Mr. Zero?" she spoke with her tone a bit on the verge of wavering.

"I simply came to pick up someone" Zero stated in his humored tone. "In fact I was actually looking for your vice-president. You wouldn't happen to know of the name Lelouch Lamperouge now, would you?" Nunnally tensed at the call of her brother's name. She clenched tightly on her wheelchair and tried her best to hide her fear.

"Lelouch?" Shirley recognized it but quickly covered her mouth at the mention of his name.

"Oh… so you do know him" Zero humored. "Do you know of where I may find him? There are some things that I wish to discuss with him"

Milly tensed slightly and gulped. But her voice remained strong. "If you're looking for a hostage then I believe I'll suffice better than a commoner. (Prez!) I am Milly Ashford, the daughter of the house of Ashford"

"Yes, I know of you" Zero nodded. "Your family had been in business of education for many years now if I remember correctly. Your father is the Earl of Hollington correct? I played chess with your uncle a couple of times but never much of a player. Though I agree… you would make a fine hostage in due time" he gently reached out for her chin and noticed how she quivered in his cold bloodied hands. "But alas… Ms. Ashford, your value here cannot even begin to compare to the one I seek. The boy I mentioned is much more important… but I guess you already know that… don't you?"

"_He… he knows about Lelouch?"_ Milly gasped inwardly.

"Ah… my suspicions were correct after all" Zero cooed carefully not wanting to scare the girl off. "He is alive. And if he is alive then that means the 'other' sibling is alive as well.

"He's not here at the moment" Rivalz said suddenly making the guards aim their weapons at him. "I mean uh… he kinda left before the attack began. He might've left already"

Zero looked at him, impressed by his courage. But that was only because the woman he deeply loved was already within his hands. After briefly grinning to himself he let go. "Very well then. I will take your word for it" he said finally after releasing Milly from his grasp. "Ms. Ashford, would you kindly announce this to the entire school? (Huh?) A number of transport vehicles will be making its way here to the academy to ferry you off to a Safe Zone near Mt. Fuji. Apparently Tokyo will become a battlefield again and I have no intentions of letting students lose their lives as collateral. That will be all, thank you for your time" and with that, Zero left the room with his guards not far behind.

Once the sound of their footsteps fell silent on the other side of the door, Milly suddenly collapsed under the weight of her fear and conflicting emotions that swelled up in her belly. She had to swear right then and now that she had never been so terrified in her entire life.

**(Government bureau) (Commander's room)**

Upon returning to the government bureau, Zero was not surprised to see C2 laying in bed hugging Cheese-kun. What surprised him was the fact that Kallen was still there as well. "Oh…?" he raised a quizzled brow. "Kallen, I thought I told you to go with Ohgi to Kanagawa"

"Rakshata wanted to add some new features to the Guren" she explained. "It shouldn't take more than a few hours to upgrade it so I should be joining Ohgi by this afternoon"

"I see…" Zero seemed satisfied with the answer so he decided to wave it off. "I guess there's no point in reasoning with a woman who based all her attention on pure scientific logic. That reminds me… I need to speak with her after this" he then returned to Cornelia's computer to continue scanning for information about Britannia. With all the wealth of top secret files lurking within that CPU, it became rather more of a hobby than a duty for him. But after he began scanning through several documents, he noticed Kallen's mouth flap open. "I know what you are going to ask, Kallen and my answer is still the same" he cut her off with a gentle voice. "You know very well that your Knightmare won't be much of a use in air to air combat"

"But…!"

"She's being selfish" C2 stated as emotionlessly as ever, earning a look from both of them. "She's worried that you're shunning her off to another area. After being your protector for so long, she must've gotten used in being around you"

"That's not true!" Kallen's face suddenly flushed. "I'm just saying that he needs extra protection seeing that he's going to face half of the Britannian army! He can't possibly do that with only a quarter of our forces!"

"Oh?" the witch gave a sly grin. "Are you sure that doesn't have to do with anything with your personal obsession? Ms. Sniffer…?" with that new nickname she brought up the memories of the handkerchief quickly replayed back into Kallen's mind making her blush even harder than before.

"Sniffer?" Zero questioned.

"It's nothing!" Kallen barked. But just before C2 could continue to add to the ace pilot's embarrassment, a knock suddenly came through the door.

"Who is it?"

"Commander Zero?" from the tone of the voice it appeared to be one of the Black Knight soldiers. "Sorry to disturb you sir, but commander Elie of the Honorary Britannian wishes to see you"

"Elie?" Zero raised a brow. "Well this is a surprise. Send him in" and with that, the blonde boy who the Black Knights knew entered the room with two guns pointed at his back. Judging from the man's facial expression, he certainly wasn't having a comfortable time knowing that his hands were tied together with four pairs of handcuffs and his back soon becoming a living bull's-eye target. "That will be good enough. There's no need for us to act so distrusting. Release his cuffs"

"Huh?" the soldier gasped. "But sir, he's a…"

"An ally…" Zero cut him off. "Don't worry. Even if he does pull a stupid stunt off, he won't be much of a threat considering his size and age" the guards were reluctant at first but decided not to go against it. Zero hasn't been wrong ever since their rebellion so why should he be wrong now? With a single motion, the handcuffs quickly came off and the guards departed, leaving the Britannian soldier behind. "Now that we're alone, I supposed you have something to ask of me?"

Elie rubbed the aching part of his wrists and nodded back to the man behind the mask. "Yes. I may have something that might prove beneficial to your defense against the Britannian army"

"Is that so? Then would you care to enlighten us?"

"Yes sir…" the man then pulled something out of his hidden pocket and showed it to him. It was a disc… of some sort, one that was commonly used by the nobles and military troops. "An hour after the government bureau fell, there was a nation wide broadcast command given to all remaining forces to every Britannian companies. Once the chain of command was broken, Operation Exile came in effect"

"Operation Exile?"

"Yes, it was a safety protocol just in case a situation like this should occur. The objective of the operation was to gather whatever remaining force left in the conquered land in a various locations to be evacuated. If they are not evacuated then it's safe to assume that they will be absorbed into the Britannian army once again"

"And you know of this location?"

"Yes. It was supposedly to be in Saitama, Fukuoka and Hiroshima. Here. Play the records in here and you'll get all the info you need" Kallen quickly snatched the disc away from him with great speed seeing that she didn't trust fully to have a Britannian approach so carelessly towards Zero. "Eh?"

Zero knew why Kallen acted so rashly and rudely but he could not blame her for being his protector after all. When the disc was placed in the computer, a small recording between Elie and the commanding officer of the Britannian High Command played through almost instantly.

"All units, this is Supreme Commander of the Britannian 8th Division, Ferdinand Calares acting under orders of his majesty Emperor Charles Zi Britannia. I order all remaining force to commence Operation Exile. All remaining forces are to gather at the designated zones and fortify yourselves. We cannot allow this disgrace to go on to his majesty! As acting chief of command, I will personally retake this land in the name of his Emperor!"

And with that final quote, Zero paused it, as he could already tell what the man would say next. "I see… Calares is coming personally huh? No doubt that he would be next in line for the title of Viceroy of Area 11" he let out a small chuckle as he returned his attention back to Elie. "Do you happen to know the size of his force?"

The boy stiffened but answered nonetheless. "Yes sir. From what I remember back in the command center, the 8th Division was served strictly for a countermeasure against insurgent forces. It mostly comprised of am armada of thirty ships, not including the carriers that holds the Knightmares. About eight tank battalions, six Knightmare companies and infantry units"

"That's a pretty detailed analysis" Zero looked at him pessimistically. "If their troops are mostly ground forces then we should be on Par with them"

"Not only that sir…" Elie continued. "From the last I've been in contact with the army, there were several Honorary Britannians who are still wavering from their loyalty are part of the retreating force and also… I've heard a rumor from the troops that Monica Kruszewski, the honorable Knight of Twelve is also participating in this campaign"

It was then Zero's eyes widened. To think that one of the Knights of the Round would actually be coming to meet him was hard to even consider being an honor. But this only proved to Zero that his army was now becoming a serious threat to Britannia and its ideals. If they win this battle, that would not only settle his first official victory against his home country but it would also signal to the other nations that Britannia was not invincible… that it can be taken down with the right strategy.

"The Knight of Twelve, you say?" Zero grinned evilly though no one could see it; C2 could sense it even with the tiniest effort. "Well… this is a surprise… yes this will work wonderfully. Though she may be the last of the Knights of the Round, she possesses incredible tactical knowledge. They called her 'Sunny Day' if I recall" _"This is excellent. If I use my Geass on her I will speed up my plan in destroying Britannia considerably! What a wonderful opportunity. This move I cannot afford to stray apart"_

"Sunny Day?" Kallen motioned questionably.

"It's her nickname for fighting with valor and with honor. Though as powerful as she is, I believe that she will be cast aside by Calares in attacking another area. The man has pride on his army… to much pride… tch… wonderful. This battle may be easier than I thought" as he slowly molds a master plan onto his head, Zero quickly faced Kallen. "Kallen, if this information is accurate then I have a feeling that you might meet her in battle. (Me?) Yes. Calares maybe a fool hardy man, but he won't turn his back on a good opportunity. He will probably send her to Kanagawa. Not too far from the Tokyo Settlement but close enough to ask for support if needed. Capture her if possible but if she proves too much then kill her"

"Understood"

"Then what should we do about the enemy's air raid?" C2 butted in. "Knowing that they'll push through the ocean with everything they have, do you think Calares will lead the attack on Tokyo itself?"

"I am fairly certain that he would want to make a proclamation the moment he enters the government bureau" Zero reaffirmed this and placed his hand on the armrest while holding his head with his fist. "He wouldn't hesitate to waste a single soldier as long as it brings victory to his table. That's just how he is. Changing his style would only ruin his image"

"Hmm…"

"But enough about that…" Zero then motioned back to Elie who was still standing there stiff as ever. "What of you, commander Elie? (Me?) Yes. You would sell out your own comrades in arms and not to mention betray your very nation… but to what end? You don't need to join the Black Knights… and from what I saw earlier, you seem to command the loyalty of other Honorary Britannians with relative ease. If you take up arms against Britannia, your family's name will immediately dissolve into nothingness"

"I am one of the last of my family heirs" Elie answered back not even showing a hint of hesitation. "If this is a test of loyalty and trust Zero, then you're wasting your voice on me. I have no proof whatsoever in which to prove my loyalty nor do I have reason. My entire life I have spent it on the battlefield. If you're asking me for the reason of my betrayal then you could say I have none"

"Indeed…" Zero interjected. "A reason of being on this world is a necessity to live. Everyone needs it and it seems like yours is still there. If one lost their own reason of existing they wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet on their heads. Heh… another mental state of mind"

"Is there anything else you require?"

"No, that will be all. You may continue leading the forces you have as you've been. You may serve with my unit at the mean time in frontlines"

"As you wish…" and with that, the blonde boy left with his legs still slightly shivering from Zero's presence.

And then suddenly, as if it was in synch with Elie's presence himself, the radio beeped in calling to Zero's attention. "Commander Zero, you're needed on the command room! It's an emergency!" the three attendees looked at one another for a moment to sink the information in before rushing towards the command base at the courtyard of the government bureau.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What!? Two days!?" Zero gasped along with several members who were in the command base. Diethard had just reported in with one of the media crew that he used as a reconnaissance group on the shore area that the Britannian forces had already crossed into Japanese waters and were preparing to strike earlier than expected.

"I'm afraid so" Diethard admitted looking at himself bluntly. "The Britannian armada was already alerted to the attack two days beforehand. I don't know how they were able to reach Japan so fast but it's no lie. Now that they've crossed the borderline area, it won't be long until they begin preparations of retaking the country. I'd give it about forty-eight hours at best before they launch an attack on us"

"Damn… they caught us off guard" Zero cursed under his mask. "What's the status of the evacuation?"

"The civilians, both Britannians and Japanese have begun moving out through the roadblocks" one of the female soldiers answered. "About forty percent has already been moved. The school ground has been cleared about five minutes ago and all other sectors are making their last trip. It shouldn't take more than a few hours until we've completed"

"This isn't good…" Zero then turned to the monitor screen where Tohdoh and Ohgi were present on. "Tohdoh, what's your situation in Osaka?"

"The evacuation process is coming along and I've already sent troops to begin prepping for combat" the old samurai responded looking a bit disheartened by the news of their enemies early arrival. "I've managed to find several resistant group members that are willing to join but that only counts about infantries. However, I doubt we'll be able to make any kind of solid defense in just two days time"

"You'll have to do your best" Zero nodded. "Ohgi, did you find the smuggled warehouse that I told you about?"

"Yeah we did" Ohgi motioned the camera to a small warehouse building with several armed Burais in it. "We've gotten ourselves on some equipment and some Burais but that's it"

"What of the military base stationed there?"

"The Britannians blew the whole base before we could take it. There's nothing of use there now"

"_Tch… so they made sure that they didn't leave anything for us to use against them. How clever"_ Zero groaned silently to himself. "Looks like I spoke too soon. This battle might just be a strong one. But nonetheless, we continue with the defense as planned. Tohdoh, I'm sending you the coordinates that Elie gave me earlier. These bases were used by the Britannians as supply depots. There maybe some tools you might be able to use against the oncoming forces. Draw in the battle line and I might be able to send you some reinforcements by air"

"Understood. Tohdoh, out…"

"Ohgi, you and the rest of the Black Knights will have to make due with what you have. Kallen will be joining you so try to endure the enemy's attack until the remnants of the JLF can join you" he then clicked the radio to make a broadcast to all his staff officers. "Listen. The Britannian force that came to reoccupy Japan has only limited resources. The larger their forces the more supplies they will need to maintain it. If we can endure this attack for at least 15 hours then victory is ours!"

As Kallen saw the man behind the mask put his charismatic power into motion again, she couldn't help but wonder how he was able to do it. How was he able to take all that pressure on him and still not waver? If she was in his shoes right now, she would've probably broke down right in the room starring at the ceiling for about a day or two. Also from what she heard from C2, their great leader seemed to have been wounded during the battle in the Special Zone and not to mention that he hasn't gotten a single wink of sleep for two days now. But she could probably understand a fraction of the reason why.

Because Zero was their leader. He was the symbol of the Black Knights, no… the symbol of Japan itself. If he were to show weakness it would cause panic among the soldiers. He had to keep his composed aura around him and make sure that no one, not even herself could get a glimpse of his weakened state.

"… that will be all…" Zero finished with his usual monologue. After awhile everyone could begin to hear cheers coming from the city and a few from the halls of the government bureau itself. He mused by the thought on how people were so easily motivated with but a slight effort of his voice. If he had put his entire heart and soul in his words he believed that he might even make a few of them faint from his sheer awesomeness. Just as he was about to take leave his path was suddenly blocked by a certain girl who did not know when to quit. "Ms. Kaguya?"

"Hi there!" she replied in happy go lucky tone. "I'm so glad I caught up with you here! I was trying to find your room but this place is so huge I actually got lost just trying to find my way around"

"L… lady Kaguya…?" Diethard stuttered.

"I thought you and the six houses of Kyoto were evacuated to the Safe Zone" Zero motioned. "You shouldn't be here. The entire city will become a battlefield again and I the last thing I need are civilians getting in the crossfire"

"Oh come on now" Kaguya whined. "Did you forget what I told you before? I am supposed to be your future wife so it'll be dishonorable for me to run and hide while my husband fights in the frontline"

"Exactly, and it would also be un-gentleman of me if my future wife were to be wounded before our marriage" when Zero spoke of this, the other members of the Black Knights began to stumble and stutter. Kallen who was listening to the conversation suddenly blinked with a thick blush on her cheek. Diethard quirked a questionable brow on their leader's choice of words and Kaguya nearly tripped down her own shoes. C2 remained the same but some could see that Zero caught her attention.

"Wha wha wha!?" Kallen stuttered. "Zero, what do you mean by that!?"

"Well I've been thinking on what Ms. Sumeragi said when we were on the G-1 fortress" Zero explained. "And I find her strange logic to be unarguable. My mask is simply but a symbol to the people. They won't accept it as their leader and a fake mask can be made at anytime. So a public face is what I need to go with…… and what better face to represent me than the beautiful Ms. Sumeragi herself?" the girl in question immediately began to blush upon the call of her name. She never thought that Zero would take her word seriously and now that he had accepted it, she began to wonder what she had gotten herself in to.

"Z… Zero… with all due respect…" Diethard mumbled. "I highly doubt that a marriage now will be useless unless…"

"I understand…" Zero cut him off knowing well there was still a battle to win. "Priorities come first… I can't exactly skip to the happy ending without going through the climax of the story. Isn't that right?" seeing that the girl wasn't going to back down on leaving the settlement, he decided to put her to good use. "Then, lady Kaguya… if you are willing to stay here, would you mind doing a little favor for me?"

"Me?" she flushed as her cheeks reddened. "O… of course!"

"Excellent…" he then pulled out something from his pocket which looked like a cassette tape from younger times. "I want you to play the record in this cassette during the right moment in the battle. I know that it is an old one but it is the best I could do at such short notice"

"The right moment? But how will I know when…"

"You will know" he added with a small smile. "You are after all… the Goddess of Victory, are you not?"

The girl blushed again and slowly held the cassette tape close to her chest. "Y… yeah…"

"Then I need not worry with you by my side then. But on the first sight if things start to go bad, I'll have Diethard take you to the next shuttle to the Safe Zone by force if he must. Thank you Ms. Sumeragi" and with that, he walked off towards the armory where he can finalize his plans against Britannia.

But he did not notice that Kallen was giving him and Kaguya a semi-fumed (AKA: Jealous) look.

**(Gym area)**

"Arghh!" that was the sound of Kallen yelling out at the top of her lunges as she whacked a sandbag with one good punch that would've broke the concrete wall. Ever since Zero made that little comment at courtyard, everyone has been whispering on their leader's new bride like some high school rumor. In just a matter of seconds every member of the Black Knights knew of it and some of them even began to act like there wasn't even a war going on.

After Zero went to see Rakshata to discuss his next phase of the plan, Kallen had spent her time at the gym to lay off her steam on a punching bag that did not have anything to do with the man's proclamation. Many of those who were working at the gym were quickly frightened by the girl's strange physical prowess and left the moment she rammed her fist onto the first object she could get her hands on. C2 was also with her of course but unlike Kallen, she simply sat down on the waiting bench hugging her Cheese-kun plushy.

"That guy! (wham!) What does he (wham) think he's doing (wham!) saying things like that out in the (wham!) open where everyone can (wham!) hear him!?" she fumed irritably while punching on the bag with all her might.

C2 grinned slightly at her cute yet unsettling way to express her jealousy. Though the girl would not admit, Kallen was practically screaming out 'why' with her own hands. "You know. You shouldn't be shouting like that. Some people might misunderstand your ranting"

"That's easy for you to say! (wham!) For a person who doesn't understand a woman's (wham!) heart!"

"Oh… how cute" C2 gave her friend a puffy look while Kallen continues to bash the poor object to submission. "You may say that now, but deep down you're probably thinking that you might no longer be needed. You think that if Zero finally has a bride of his own you will lose your place by his side and he will shrug you off as another object"

"Huh!?" Kallen gave out a mixed look of confusion and embarrassment, and while her head was turned, she missed a punch which made her fall on her back. "Owww…"

"You continue to deny it but it's the truth nonetheless" the immortal witch continued. "From what I've noticed: You seem to take pride as being Zero's most trusted companion. You believe that you're special… and irreplaceable member to his side"

"That's not true! I…"

"Or really?" C2 finally grinned as the girl fell right into her web of tease. "What if Zero were to have another ace by his side? So far, you are the only ace he has and he only uses you during the most crucial times. But there's no guarantee how long it will last. Eventually there will be a pilot who can outmatch you, and when that happens, your title of Q-1 will be taken away…"

"Geh…" Kallen could not deny it. No… perhaps she could, but then all her words would be nothing but hot air. Zero always made it look like everyone on the battlefield was like a chess piece. She didn't get it at first but when she saw the Zero playing on a chessboard against himself she realized that he was naming everyone after the pieces that he had. P for pawns, B for Bishops, N for Knights, R for Rooks and of course one of the vital pieces of the board, the Queen.

Q-1 was her title and there wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind that she was the best pilot in the army other than Tohdoh. She could probably match up against the Four Holy Swords single-handedly but that kind of fight would have to bring out the best in her.

"You don't want to lose that title now do you?" C2 smirked as the red head began to sweat furiously. "Well then, I guess that the only way to do that is to defeat that Sunny Day girl" Kallen's eyes perked at the mention of the Knight's nickname. "They say that the Knights of the Rounds are the finest soldiers in Britannia. If you could defeat one of them, I have a good feeling that no one… not even Tohdoh can voice against your position" she threw the pilot a towel and walked off the door but before she closed it she turned her head back to give one last remark. "Think about it: An Eleven that can actually defeat a Knight of the Round. That'll be something to put on the news"

Kallen sank the words into her head before placing her head between her knees.

When C2 got to the next intersection, she noticed Zero leaning against the wall with a slight frown hidden behind his mask. "Was that really necessary?"

"She's still naïve, but that's what makes her a great pilot" she replied, avoiding the question entirely. "Besides… now she has another reason to win. But enough about that. What of your discussion with Rakshata? Is everything going according to your elaborate plan?"

"Everything is on schedule" he answered. "Though the Britannians arrived faster than I expected, we may still be able to hold them out. With the limited time we have on our hands, we can only set up basic perimeter defenses. But if all goes accordingly, I may be able to pull off another miracle to silence any aggressors that defies my rule. Oh… by the way. I was doing a little research on our Britannian friend"

"You mean Elie?"

"Yes… apparently he may prove to be my first checkpiece that can turn the tide of this battle to an even fight" he grinned evilly. "I wonder how good he is with acting"


	2. The Battle for Japan Part 1

**Chapter 2: The Battle for Japan (Part 1)**

**(Two days later)**

The two days needed for the preparation ended faster than anyone could've hoped for. In that short time span, the Black Knights who were now the main military army of the new United States of Japan created defensive blocks all around the three strategic locations in which Zero expected his enemy to attack. But alas, some believed that this was probably a battle that they could not win.

Their enemies outnumbered them by a large margin and they were better organized and better equipped than the main force of the Black Knights itself. Zero's forces consisted mostly of ragtag resistant groups from all over the countryside. Some were pretty much just a militia army and the honorary Britannians that came to join them were just as much as a well trained reserve force. The more organized force like the Japan Liberation Front made pretty much the bulk of Tohdoh's army. Though they had much experience in survival, they were nothing more but meat-shields to be thrown at the Britannians.

Not only were the forces meek, but the weapons they had to use could be more than they desired. The Knightmares the Black Knights had in their possessions consisted of only those they could get their hands on. Burais, captured Sutherlands, Gekkas and those that Zero already had with him: The special Black Gekka which Tohdoh piloted and the Guren Mk-II which was his only ace on the battlefield.

Hand weapons however were plentiful. Assault rifles and anti-tank rockets were in abundance of stock. Though they would prove little effective against Knightmares, Ohgi believed that as long as a man had a chance to fight back then he had a small chance to stay alive.

When dawn broke out into the horizon, the soldiers held their breaths together as few would believe that this would probably be the last sunrise they will ever see.

**(Britannian 8****th**** Division airship carrier)**

"What's the status of our deployment?" asked Ferdinand Calares, the supreme commander of the Britannian armada. He was accompanied by a dozen of his officers and the Knight of the Twelve, Monica Kruszewski at the other end of the tactical map.

"Division two are already in position sir" replied one of the officers. "Michi's fleet is stationed near Osaka and Kyle's fleet is positioned near Kanagawa. Reconnaissance units have reported a high concentration of Black Knights in the very areas we are about to attack"

"_Tch… those fools actually know where we're going"_ Calares spat. "What luck! It saves us the time to search for them later. Have all units continue with their preparations. Once our forces make it to the beach we will begin our attack on Tokyo itself and while they're busy holding off our ground troops we can jump right in where they're most vulnerable and take their capital without any resistance"

"Wait a moment…" the men's attention darted towards the blonde Knight of the Round as she saw this as a strategy far too risky. The moment she saw the Black Knights stationed in the exact areas where they were planning to attack, it became almost evident that it was not a coincidence. The enemy was prepared for the counterattack and a frontal assault could cost them to exhaust ¾ of their resources. "I think we should rethink our strategy and focus our attack on one area instead"

"Hmm? What in the world are you talking about? This is a perfect chance to wipe them all out and sterilize the entire area with the taint of this so called Black Knights"

"I agree General. But this is no mere opponent we are facing" Monica pointed at the table screen on the areas where the enemy was located. "Just look at this formation. They know exactly where we're going to attack and if we fall in right at the frontlines there'll be a chance that our forces could be completely wiped out"

The officers nodded together seemingly agreeing to her idea. "She does have a point my lord" one of them spoke back. "Our enemy force is a lot larger than we anticipated and we're spread a little too thin"

"If we attack now, the result could be catastrophic"

"Gutless cowards!" Calares barked. "Our army is way superior than theirs. We outnumber them, we possess superior weaponries! I bet these uncivilized monkeys barely even know how to operate a machine. We have nothing to fear against a ragtag bunch of rebels!"

"But sire…" the officer trembled at the might of his commander. "The enemy we face is Zero!"

"Zero is nothing more but a coward!" he snapped back at them. "How can they possibly follow someone who doesn't even show his face!? Their victory here was nothing more than a spineless attack of trickery! If we face him with pure strength alone, he'll fall just like the rest of these cockroaches!"

"General Calares…" Monica motioned with a tone that held no sign of humor. "The one whom you call a coward was the one who defeated Cornelia herself"

"Tch…" the man could not respond to that of royalty. "That was simply by the act of luck" he reasoned poorly. "If I was in command of the defense there they would never have been defeated so easily"

"General!"

"Enough!" Calares finally snapped at the girl with a fumed hair. "If you're so worried about this then you can go to the frontlines yourself and assist Kyle's fleet!"

Monica stumbled back a bit but quickly recomposed herself. "But General! My orders were to assist in the retrieval of Princess Cornelia! This is the command of the Emperor himself and…"

"And you will **assist**" the commander grinned evilly. "You're going to act as bait while we rescue her highness from the tower itself. Do you refuse… Knight of Twelve?" Monica had to resist the urge of lounging herself across the table to strangle the commander. So instead she muttered a 'yes sir' reply on her mouth and allowed him to continue. "Very good. The flagship carrier will move right into the Tokyo settlement the moment our ground forces land. That will keep their air combat to a fair minimum while we bombard them with our new aerial fortress. Hehehehe"

"So… what do we do sir?"

"Destroy them all!" he lifted his chest proudly. "Let these pathetic numbers see the might of the Britannian army! Let them fear the name of General Ferdinand Calares! Assemble all units and Knightmare forces! We have the advantage in technology. They won't even expect an aerial attack with a fleet of this caliber! We'll wipe them all out in a single blow and bring fear to their hearts so they'll never rebel again!"

The officers straightened themselves in front of their commander and saluted. "Yes, my lord!"

But Monica remained stern as she gritted her teeth in anger. _"This is… this is going to be a massacre…"_

**(Osaka beachhead lighthouse)**

Two soldiers of the previously known Japan Liberation Front were playing a game of Shogi (Japanese Chess) while another one of them were looking out the balcony with a pair of binoculars to see if there were any ships coming towards them.

Their game of Shogi however was suddenly interrupted when the com radio called in. "Lighthouse tower, report in" one of the soldiers quickly answered the call.

"This is lighthouse unit, standby…" he waved to the one overlooking the balcony which was replied with a negative shaking of the head. "All clear" he replied back. "No anomalies sighted. We'll report back in another hour, over" he returned the radio back to its position and returned to his chair.

"Do they actually think that Britannia would actually launch an attack today of all days?" the other player questioned humorously.

"I don't know. But Zero said to be on alert just in case"

"Ah he's got to be whack. We beat the Britannians long ago. That guy's probably just being paranoid"

"Hey, you shouldn't say things like that" the observer cut in. "This is the man who liberated us. Saying stuff like that will only get you in trouble with the Black Knights"

"Aww you worry too much. Haven't you looked around? Its Colonel Tohdoh who's defending this place remember? With him around, we don't anything to worry about"

"Getting overconfident with just one person is another thing!" he yelled irritatingly but his words were simply returned with a laugh. "Bah. You guys are impossible as ever" just when the man returned to watch duty, his binoculars suddenly noticed something coming in on the horizon. "Huh? Wha? What is that?" as he readjusted his scope his sights soon came upon the flag of Britannia. "Holy! It… it's them!" when he finally got a clear view of the ocean he realized that a whole fleet was coming right at Osaka. "You two, get over here!"

The two soldiers hastily rushed in and gasped with the sight before them. With one glance alone, they could already tell that this army… was simply unbeatable. There were ships lining across the horizon as far as their eyes could see. Knightmares lined along the sides of the ships and hundreds of tanks preparing to descend upon the city. "No way! They're here!? The Britannians actually came!?"

"What the hell are you waiting for!? Go sound the alarm!"

The soldier nodded and quickly barked onto the radio. "Osaka HQ, HQ, please respond! Osaka HQ, this is lighthouse unit! Enemy sighted! I repeat: Britannian forces sighted! Sound a city wide alarm now!"

"This is Osaka HQ. Roger that lighthouse unit. Alerting all forces"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The moment the alarm was sounded, Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords quickly rushed to the warehouse area where all the Knightmares were stored. When the Lt. Colonel made it to his customized Gekka he pulled out the radio to make a country wide broadcast to his armed forces. "Everyone! Listen up!" he began.

"We have caught an enemy unprepared!"

The Four Holy Swords saddled into their Knightmares and readied their weapons for battle.

"It is an enemy no less! An enemy that outnumbers our own 10-1!"

Ohgi and his officers entered the G-1 mobile fortress command area and opened up a screen viewing a large Britannian fleet just off the coast of Kanagawa.

"An enemy that has superior weapons… and armors tougher than our own!"

Tamaki rode on his newly made Sutherland and shouted to the rest of the crew to hurry up with the loading of his new arm.

"Zero was the one who defeated the mighty Britannian army and brought their entire garrison crumbling to its knees!"

Kallen starred at the photo of her mother which was tapped to the side of her cockpit seat. After awhile she took in a deep breath and readied her Guren for the showdown against Britannia.

"He was the one who made the enemy armada break into three portions and trap them at the strongest point of our defenses at Osaka, Kanagawa and Tokyo!!"

Several Black Knight soldiers prayed at a small unnamed altar as the speech went on. Right after they were done, they hastily grab the weapons they had lined up along the wall of the building and march right out to meet their doom.

"The Britannian army that you see before you are the ones who have returned to take what is rightfully ours by force! They see this as an opportunity to crush us with a single blow, but what they do not know is that we are now at our strongest!"

Diethard smiled and turned his head to Zero who sat on his throne with a meaningful nod.

"Seven years ago, the Britannian forces faced the might of our Japanese army. In the battle for Narita, they faced against the combined might of the JLF and the resistance. But today, the Britannians will learn to fear… they will learn to fear once more!"

Elie and his members of the honorary Britannians hastily jumped into their Sutherlands. But before Elie entered his unit, he took a moment to take one good look at a small burnt photo of four girls and himself at the center.

"Because today, they face not a rabble force of the old Japan, not a resistance movement, not a nation… no! Because today, Britannia will face the true might of the Black Knights!"

A large roar of cheers and battlecries echoed throughout Japan as the curtains of battle rose up. At this very moment, every TV, radio and other media stations had the attention of the every human being under the sky. The world was now the audience, Japan was the stage, the Black Knights and the Britannian army were the actors and Zero was the conductor of this grand play. How it will play out will depend on how well he planned his moves.

**(Kanagawa 2****nd**** beachhead) (G-1 mobile fortress)**

Ohgi crossed his arm and frowned deeply at the screen in front of him. Even though he was wounded from Valletta's gunshot he could not allow himself to show weakness. They have freed their country from the clutches of the colonial rulers… but now they must prove to the world that they are indeed worthy of holding onto this land. Zero made clear of that and Ohgi had to admit that he was right. If they cannot defend the land they've claimed to be their own then they have no right over it.

"Ohgi" Minami called on one of the front com tables. "All ground units have been deployed near the docks just as you ordered. All beachheads have been secured"

"Right then…" he nodded slightly before letting out a small sigh. _"Now I know why Zero allowed me to command the biggest force in the Black Knights. The geography of the Kanagawa area has changed so much in the pass years that the land dissolved into a large bay area"_

"Hey Ohgi" came Tamaki's voice on the com. "What the hell man? Why the heck are we hiding behind these buildings here!? Shouldn't we be staying at the docks where we can pound those Britannians before they even get to shore!?"

"No that wouldn't work" Minami replied for him. "The pier doesn't provide enough cover for Knightmares and if you stay there, you'll be a sitting target for their battleships. Staying inside those buildings will provide you with enough cover and you can pick off the enemy just when they land"

"Oh…" Tamaki looked back a little dumbfounded on the realization. "Ok then"

"Anyway…" Ohgi added to his officers. "Even though we have more troops than all the other sectors, this area will not be easy to defend. The G-1 fortress has the second port inside the city secured, Kallen has the beach area and Tamaki has the first port area. If any of these sectors should fall, our formations will crumble. The Japanese army made their stand here at Kanagawa too and they suffered a terrible lost"

"Don't worry Ohgi…" Kallen's face suddenly appeared on screen with a soft smile on her lips. "That was seven years ago. This time it's different. We have Knightmares with us and……" she closed her eyes and held her breath back a bit. "… we have Zero leading us…" that name alone was enough to get the blood pumping in everyone's veins.

She was right. Back then they didn't have Zero. But now that he was with them, things will surely take a turn for the better.

"Yeah that's right!" Tamaki yelled out with a joyful expression he hasn't shown for awhile. "We have Zero with us! With him, we can win this battle, no problem!"

"That's right!" yelled another officer. "With Zero here, we can win!"

"He's the man of miracles! He will make us one… I know it!"

It wasn't long then till Kallen finally realized how these people adored Zero. No… they praised him they loved him, idolized him even. Hell she wouldn't be surprised if people suddenly start worshipping Zero as a god. But then again… Zero did seem to fit the image of a god. He was able to defeat an enemy no man thought was defeatable, cause mountains to crumble with his tactical thinking, create earthquakes that crushes cities into mere nothingness with a gesture of his hand and bend even the highest people to his will with the mere sound of his voice. It almost felt like he was performing miracles as a daily routine. If there was really such a religion, Kallen would've probably been a member of such a cult by now. She didn't just idolize the man she cared for him… she admired him… heck… perhaps she may have already fallen in love with him.

Just as the Black Knights were firmly assembled on the ground, Kallen heard the voice of one of the enemy commanders shouting at his soldiers. "The order has been given! All ships, concentrate fire on the shorelines! Create a smoke screen for our troops to land on!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Immediately, the battleships that were aligned at sea began bombarding the city of Kanagawa with their long ranged cannons. Barrel after barrels of shots echoed from the shoreline and when the whistling sounds of bomb echoed in the ear, the resistance forces quickly took cover behind whatever they could duck in to.

In mere moments, the once peaceful city of Kanagawa was up in flames just like what happened seven years ago.

"Commander Ohgi!" the com officer barked in. "Enemy forces have begun bombarding the city"

"What's our damage?" he asked.

"Extensive! We've lost nearly a quarter of our frontline units and many of our defensive perimeters were wiped out!"

"We'll have to endure it" Minami grumbled tryingly. "The moment they see our forces retreating they'll land all their forces on the beaches. We have to wait out until their land units make port. Once they do that they'll definitely stop their bombardment to prevent destruction of their own forces"

"Right then" Ohgi nodded. "Everyone, go into defensive positions. Wait until the enemy land on the beachheads. Under no conditions are they allowed to get through!"

"You got it!"

**(Osaka Frontlines)**

"All artillery units… fire!" Tohdoh barked through his custom Gekka frame. He was standing inside a small warehouse along with the Four Holy Swords and a small platoon of Burais in which were prepared to counterattack the enemy forces when they land. Upon his order, the remnant forces of the JLF began using their long barreled guns in which they fired from the main tower of Osaka Castle.

This of course caught the Britannians off guard as their ships were positioned too closely to the bay of the city. They did not expect the Black Knights to possess such hardware and were now crumbling slowly by the long ranged attacks.

"Target hit!" one of the artillery spotters yelled out to give morale boost to the crew. "Load up the next one and fire!"

As the battle waged on, Asahina couldn't help but grin slightly at the war in front of him. Back then, if someone would tell him to wage a full-scale war with Britannia, he would've laughed at their faces. But now… after facing victory after victory… he felt that it may just be possible.

"_This is incredible"_ he thought to himself as his eyes darted to his commander. _"Turning the old castle of Osaka into a firebase was pure genius. The enemy wouldn't think of an old relic to possess so much fire power. We might just be able to win this"_

But his thoughts were interrupted when a voice came through com channels "Commander Tohdoh!" the man noted for a moment before picking up the radio.

"What is it?" the samurai responded.

"It's the enemy, sir! They've landed on the docks! We're counting tanks and infantry carriers only. We've also spotted several trucks being transported through the area with lots of equipments"

"Hmph…" Kyoshiro grumbled. "So they're trying to set a base of operation on shore before sending in the Knightmares. Burai unit! (Sir!) Go in and intercept the enemy advance before they reach the city. Stop them at the docks but be on the lookout for enemy artillery"

"Yes sir!"

Once the Burais were out of the warehouse they immediately began firing on the unprepared Britannian forces that made it to shore. On the other end of the docks, the Black Knight ground infantries were making a valiant stand with the little armaments they had. Though they were nothing more but armed militia group, their spirits alone surpassed that of any soldier. With renewed vigor born from the hope that was given to them by the messiah of chaos, the Japanese soldiers held their heads up with pride and honor they had thought lost long ago.

"You sure you don't want us to join in as well sir?" Urabe questioned.

"As the commander of this force, I can't allow myself to foolishly rush into the enemy with blind rage. I have the responsibility to lead them into battle and yet at the same time I must remain behind to order our troops"

"But still…" Senba added but he was cut off by the commander.

"I know that you all wish to fight, but this is not Itsukushima" he reminded them. "We cannot act as reckless as that time. I learned that… from Zero…"

"Colonel…" Chiba noted the man's expression softened upon mentioning their fearful leader's name.

"Until I met Zero, I was foolish and naïve to think that action alone can change the world. But I was wrong" he sighed deeply upon reflecting on his own actions in the past. "Actions without thoughts are nothing more than pure ignorance of man. If we do something without thinking of the consequences then we will only make things worst without even knowing it. That's why. We must endure. Plan ahead and make sure that when we fight… we fight… with our heads clear! (Sir!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Damn it!" one of the Britannian officers cursed under his breath as he broke radio contact with the main force. "This is ground force command! Enemy resistance is intensifying! We lost our armored division and are taking heavy casualties! Where the heck are our reinforcements?!" he then saw a Burai riding into the area and destroyed the supply trucks with only one passing. "Gahh! Not another one!"

**(Tokyo settlement) (Government Bureau control room)**

As the battle raged on in Osaka and Kanagawa, Zero and his remaining force of 21 Knightmares and 30 Honorary Britannian fighters awaited patiently for the enemy's main force.

"Zero!" Diethard motioned. "The enemy has begun attacking at Osaka and Kanagawa just as you expected. They've begun attacking from the port and are advancing towards the city center. Ohgi is reporting severe casualties from enemy naval force but Tohdoh seems to have his area under control"

"Very good" the masked leader praised. "As long as our forces hold them off at bay, the Britannian army will be forced to deplete their resources at an extraordinary pace. Tohdoh's speech was also quite impressive if I do say so myself. Its no wonder the people follow him with such blind loyalty. What's the status of Calares's fleet?"

Diethard looked at the monitor for a moment before replying. "Looks like he's still standing. They haven't moved an inch since the fighting started"

"Then I guess we should make due with the time he has given us" Zero snickered out loud. But then he noticed that there was an incoming call from one of the open channels. "Oh?"

C2 was the caller. "Zero, I'm at Babel tower. Proceeding with the plan as scheduled" she was riding on a Burai which didn't seem to be armed at the moment.

"Good" he acknowledged her claims before issuing orders to his troops. "Diethard, have all our reserve forces concentrate our defenses at Babel tower. Under no condition must that tower fall under enemy hands"

"But…!" Diethard quirked an eyebrow. "Shouldn't we be focusing our defenses on the Government bureau? If this place falls then everything we've done would be for naught"

"The Government bureau's defenses can hold on its own against enemy attacks. Calares is a simple minded military commander who relies on brute force and tactics rather than the concept of strategy. If I am right (which I know I am) he will probably try to create a base in which to coordinate his attacks on us and Babel tower suits the bill perfectly"

Diethard nodded and decided to transmit the orders to the troops. Zero has not been wrong before so there was no reason for him to be wrong now.

Before Diethard could reply, another com channel opened up revealing Elie's face. "Zero, my troops are all stationed at your designated areas. Should we begin digging in?"

"That won't be necessary" Zero replied with a hand gesture. "With the amount of troops that Calares will bring in on the Tokyo settlement, he'll probably send in the Knightmares as his first wave of attacks"

"His first wave?" Elie choked.

"Yes… and that will be your cue, Elie… to proceed with that speech I gave you. Did you rehearse it?"

"Uh…" the blonde commander let out a bead of sweat down his face as he recalled the little trick that Zero had prepared for him. "Yeah… I kinda did. Elie, out"

**(2 days ago)**

Elie arrived at the door of Zero's room once again after being called in by the masked instigator himself. He didn't mind coming to see Zero or experiencing his cold attitude to humans, but what bothered him was the fact that he still needed to be escorted to that place with handcuffs and guards pointing weapons at his back. It was annoying and somewhat uncomfortable to be a routine. When he entered the place, Zero ordered his guards to un-cuff him and leave them be until the duration of the conversation.

"You wanted to see me, Zero?" Elie stood in a very military like manner.

"Please" the man waved it off. "You're no longer in the military and the Black Knights isn't exactly the most organized force in the world. There's no need for formalities" Elie hesitated at first but decided to let out his casual self by sitting on the nearby chair. "Now. I'm sure that you're anxious to know why I called you here" he nodded. "As you know already, the counterattack on Japan will begin in two days time and I'm certain that the honorary Britannians that were absorbed into their regime had been promised a hefty reward in return of their services"

"Yes, I know about it. But what does that…"

"I'm getting there" Zero cut him off. With chin in hand he handed the boy a small piece of paper which contained some sort of procedure or something. "You are recognized by the honorary Britannians everywhere as their Shining Knight. There are those who looked up to you as their savior other than myself. That is why I decided to use you as an instigator"

"Instigator? Like a rebellion?"

"Yes. The honorary Britannians that are serving Calares are weak and unwilling to serve him but they are too afraid to move because they do not have one who showed them the path" he explained to the boy like he was describing how a cell phone worked. "If you appear in front of them like a knight who stands against injustice they will immediately switch sides and battle with their real enemies"

"But… then you mean I should do this speech?"

"Yes… I planned every word carefully. With this… I am certain that they will follow you without hesitation"

"Then… why don't you do it? I mean I'm just a soldier. I can't possibly pull something like this"

Zero chuckled at his childish behavior. "Your self confidence is lacking. But I think we can fix that…" he opened up the portion of his mask which revealed his left eye and began muttering orders to his new victim.

**(Present)**

"_Oh man…"_ Elie let out a long and weary sigh out of his chest. He was already riding aboard his blue Sutherland and his unit of 24 Knightmares not far behind. As he moved into position near the railway station overlooking the Shibuya park, he took out the long sheet of paper from his suit which contained all the words that Zero wanted him to say when the time was right. _"I can't believe he asked me to memorize all of this. How the heck am I supposed to say it? I don't even have enough confidence to speak against my superiors"_ he sighed again. "Ugh… I'm pathetic"

"Commander Elie" one of the Knightmare pilots radioed in. "What should we do now, sir?"

The boy tucked the piece of paper back into suit, not taking his eyes off the screen for even a split moment. "Spread out and dig in, but try not to bunker yourselves in one area. Do not open fire until we are ordered to, understand?"

"Yes, my lord!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero smiled inwardly impressed by the formation Elie was giving to his men. Though the child may be young, he indeed possessed the skills and tactical knowledge necessary to lead a company.

After confirming the conditions of the army, Zero noticed another channel opening up. "Rakshata" he noted the caller. "How's it going on your end?"

"Everything is working fine here" she waved her smoke pipe around with a small grin on her face. "Thanks to the amount of resources you're giving and the extra manpower, we might be able to finish ahead of time"

"Excellent. It won't be long now until General Calares approaches the Tokyo settlement" Zero snickered evilly. "Attention all forces! This is Zero. We will now begin our defense of the settlement! The enemy sees this city as an anchor to their rule over Japan! If it should fall… then all is lost! Know this when you go into battle! What you fight for… isn't something one would call justice or freedom. But for the future of your countrymen! Go now and fight till your last dying breath!"

"HOOO!!!!"

**(Kanagawa beachhead)**

Tamaki and his troops were fighting tooth and nail against the Britannian forces that were able to land onto the port of the city. But no matter how many they destroy, the enemy just seemed to have more to replace those that have been annihilated. When they take out one tank, six more of them roll in to take its place.

"Damn it all!" the man cursed. "Just how many of them are there!? I already lost count on how many tanks I leveled! Don't they ever quit!?" just then, another ten tanks suddenly appeared onto the scene creating a pincer move against them. "Alright you punks! Bring it on! You're facing one of the original members of the Black Knights, Shinichiro Tamaki!"

"Tamaki!" Ohgi called in from the com channel. "Fall back to defensive position number 2"

"What!?" he groaned. "Why the hell for? We can still hold them off here!"

"We're taking severe casualties from the enemy artilleries" he reasoned. "And the G-1 fortress won't be able to take that kind of firepower at close range. All we can do now is wait them out. At least then we'll be out of their bombardment range. (Boom!) Ahh!"

Tamaki gritted his teeth together as the thought of retreating was humiliating for him. "Grr… fine! Everyone fall back! We're pulling out of here now!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the Britannian troops noticed the Black Knight's withdrawal the commanding officer in charge quickly radioed back to fleet command. "This is unit 5 reporting from Kanagawa port. Enemy forces are in flight, we've secured the docks. Requesting Knightmare deployment"

"Roger that unit 5. Knightmare units are being deployed" the admiral of the fleet announced back before turning his head towards the screen where Monica's face was on. "Lady Monica, the enemy's frontlines have been weakened. You have the clear signal to move in on the settlement"

"Understood" she replied with a proud face. But just when the blonde knight was about to move out she returned her gaze to the man on the bridge. "Admiral, can I request that all Knightmare units to be placed under my control?"

"Uh? My lady, wouldn't that just disrupt our chain of command?"

"The enemy we faced now is the very one that defeated Princess Cornelia" she explained with a reasonable statement. "We cannot allow ourselves to underestimate their abilities and if we are to win then I would like to at least control a portion of the forces stationed on the ground"

The admiral sighed but found no word to argue with her statement. "Very well milady. I'll brief the pilots. Good fortunes to you"

"And to you, admiral"

**(Britannian 8****th**** division airship carrier)**

"General Calares!" the officer at the communication block shouted. "Kyle's fleet has set up a forward base at Kanagawa and is now pressing onto the city itself. Lady Monica is in the lead with the Knightmare Company"

"Excellent…" the commander grinned evilly. "Now that their defenses are down, we can strike right at the heart of the enemy. Heh… in the end these Black Knights are nothing more but a foolish group of fanatics that are clinging on to past pedigrees" with confidence of the battle in front of him, Calares issued orders to his fleet. "Alright! We're moving out now! Relay this message to the aerial fleet! Move in towards the Tokyo Settlement! We'll crush Zero and his pathetic rebellion in one fell swoop!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"_Hehehe… and when I rescue Princess Cornelia, I'll be promoted to viceroy for sure" _Calares grinned. _"I must thank you Zero. With your rebellion, it gave me the perfect opportunity to make my name be known throughout the world"_

**(Osaka frontlines)**

The battle was going well for the Black Knights that were stationed in the Osaka region. With Tohdoh leading the troops himself, morale had been at an astounding level. But alas, hope alone was not able to withstand against the might of the empire. After hours of conflict at the port of the city, the remaining troops had to withdraw as they had suffered numerous casualties among their own ranks.

When the Britannians had made their base of operation at the docks, the Knightmares from the fleet began to unload along the coastline preparing for the final blow against the Black Knights. If they should fully unload every Sutherland they had onto the field then it was certain who would be the victor of this battle.

Tohdoh watched patiently on the screen at the cockpit of his frame. He waited and observed tirelessly as he saw his own troops being pushed back by Britannia's might. He had to admit that his soldiers held out longer than he expected and the firebase at Osaka castle was proving to be an annoyance to the enemy numbers. It was perhaps his one and only ace in the hole against Britannia and he couldn't allow it to fall under enemy hands no matter what. But he was a leader, not a tactician. All he could do now was hold out and pray that Zero had something up his sleeves.

"Commander Tohdoh!" came an open channel from one of the Burai units. "Enemy Knightmares are deploying on the docks!"

With that alone, he knew then that the time for waiting was over. "Understood. All units pull back to Osaka castle! We can't allow them to take that firebase no matter what the cost! Everyone, hold out until our reinforcements can get here!"

"Y… yes sir!" the caller quickly hung up and resumed to do battle.

Tohdoh let out a small sigh before turning off his communicator. Even after being a war veteran for so long, the scene of battle was not something a person could get used to easily. As the battle raged on, Asahina began to feel a bit unnerved. "Colonel, when are we going to move out? I know that you have to stay back, but shouldn't we…"

"Don't be too quick to rush out to your death kiddo or you'll up a skinned rabbit" Senba chuckled.

"Right right… but still…"

"The colonel probably wants us to counterattack the moment our reinforcements get here" Urabe motioned. "With the combined strength of our new forces we can wipe out the whole Britannian fleet with one go"

"There are no reinforcements" Tohdoh admitted suddenly which seemed to drag the group's attention. "What I said earlier on the com was a lie. There are no reinforcements coming. There's no one coming to save us"

"Wha!? But colonel, if that's the truth then why did…" Urabe nearly choked on the glass of water he was drinking and began coughing out uncontrollably.

"It was to give our troops hope" he explained. "Even if it was false hope… I needed the soldiers out there to believe that a miracle can happen"

"But even so… to lie out like that…" Senba looked at him with a rugged face.

But Tohdoh simply smiled back as the thought of his very first big lie in a long time came into reply. "I know it isn't like me to lie out in front of everyone like that. But… I somehow believe. I believe that Zero…… no matter how many times he deceives us, he will always produce the results needed for this victory…"

"Colonel…" Chiba looked at him wearily before remembering the little argument she had with Zero back at the settlement. "I… see…"

"You sure about this?" Asahina grinned. "I mean that guy is obvious just using us"

"There's not a doubt in my mind that he's using everyone here to achieve his own personal goal" Tohdoh agreed wholeheartedly. "I understand that you all must think that he's nothing more but a monster or a puppet master who pulls the strings behind our backs. But… under that guise of a villain… I can see his true self"

"His true self?"

"Yes…… the moment I saw him lead us to attack the government bureau I realized that behind that mask was nothing more but a lonely man… longing to achieve whatever it is he wanted" Kyoshiro continued while folding his arms together. "He's become so desperate and so hopeless that he chose to abandon his own humanity and his own conscious and decided to wear a mask instead of a face" he gritted his teeth together out of anger and respect for the masked leader. "When I sum all of this together… I can picture no greater hero than Zero himself. He is now paying the ultimate sacrifice and in return he unconsciously helps us"

"Whoa……" the Four Holy Swords were awestruck by the colonel's revelations. As they thought deeply at it, there was indeed some sense coming from Tohdoh's words. Zero was a monster hiding behind the mask, but before that… there was a certainty that he used to be human. By abandoning all those humanly pleasures from his life he now lived as the man behind the mask. You could say that Zero's face is the mask itself.

"Well…" Asahina stuttered. "When you put it that way…… he does sound like…"

"Yes…" Senba groaned. "As much as I want to deny it… Colonel Tohdoh's words ring true. That man we only know as Zero has given up everything about himself to change into a man he is today. A man who sacrifices everything for the cause of others…… is undoubtedly what makes a true hero"

"And for that reason… we must endure!" Tohdoh waved off. "Not just for Zero's sake… but for our sakes as well!"

**(Kanagawa 1****st**** beachhead)**

As the Britannian Knightmare frames have landed on the beach of Kanagawa, the commanding officer that was stationed there began ordering his troops to move in. But things were not going so well even for the Empire's finest. Even with their superior numbers and technology they were still down by one move. The first assault onto Japan itself was a total failure resulting in massive losses on their side.

When the soldiers first thought about landing on the beach, they had expected to land somewhere where the Black Knights would not be able to get them so easily. But instead they were ordered right into the thickest part of their defenses where the enemy dug in waiting for them. Every gun and defensive weapons pinned them through what little cover they could find and those who were unfortunate, were mowed down with relative ease.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" said the commanding unit of the Knightmare platoon. "Our objective is to punch through the enemy's right flank. Our main force is currently pinned down at the city by a G-1 mobile fortress that the Black Knights captured. Once we take it down, this entire city will be ours for the taking"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Where's the second and third squad?"

"We don't know sir" the soldier replied. "We lost contact with them just a few minutes ago"

But just before they could move out, another com signal opened in. "Sergeant, enemy detected 30 degrees leftward. I'm reading three enemy Burais and one unknown Knightmare"

"Unknown?" the man quirked. "What? Are these Elevens so desperate that they made a frame combining junk parts or something? Hahahaha!" but his laughter suddenly came to a halt when his factsphere screen (factsphere are those radar looking devices that pops out of the Sutherland and Burai's head) displayed the oncoming enemy. When his eyes caught sight of the red Knightmare leading them, his eyes immediately widened with horror like he had just seen a demon running towards him. "W… wait a minute! T… that's… that's the Guren! The Devil's Right Hand!?"

"What!? No way! The Ace of the Black Knights? Here?"

"You got that right Britannians!" Kallen gave out a loud battlecry before tackling one of the Sutherlands down with her fork-knife and using her radiant wave surger to destroy another within a split second. "Sorry…" she pressed the charge button and burned the core of the enemy to a bubbling end.

"No… no… no no no no NOOO!!!"

"S… she took out two of us!?" another pilot of the Britannia stuttered in fear. "In just one blow!? That's impossible! Is this the one that took out all of our Knightmares?"

"Britannians, this is your last warning!" Kallen announced to them. "This is Japanese territory! Withdraw at once!"

"Japan? What? Do you take me for an idiot!? Japan is gone!"

"Oh yeah!? Well that's why I hate Britannians!" Kallen fired her radiant wave surger again and took out another Sutherland. The man tried to eject but his seat seemed to have been fried into the frame itself.

"Damn Elevens!" on its last leg, the last remaining Sutherland fired a barrage of missiles from its shoulder pads but was stopped by the Right arm of the Guren. "What? It blocked my attack!? What the hell is up with that model!?" but he never got the chance to get a reply when the Burais opened fire at it. "Ahhh!!" he ejected his cockpit and landed several feet above the ocean.

As the Burais that accompanied Kallen's unit finished mopping up the remaining tanks that were in the area, she called to Ohgi. "Ohgi, this is Kallen. Enemy Knightmare forces have been repelled on my side. We just finished taking down their command unit"

"Good work Kallen" Ohgi replied through grunts of pain. "But the situation hasn't changed. Fall back to defensive position two. The enemy reinforcements a pushing us back to the city. We need you to cover our right flank while we keep them pinned down"

"Understood" Kallen switched off the com and hastily turned to her troops. "Alright everyone, you heard the man. We are to fall back to point 2. Regroup and rearm for the next wave!"

"Sir, yes sir!"

But while the Burais were withdrawing, Kallen couldn't help but look around to see if she had missed something. "Damn… not here either" she muttered. "Where the hell could she be?" she was probably referring to the Knight of Twelve, Monica Kruszewski.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And speaking of the certain Knight, Monica herself was already leading the attack against the Black Knights where Tamaki was stationed in. She was accompanied by four Gloucesters which seemed to provide her with ample amount of protection while she strategize her way into the enemy lines.

"Hmm…" once the area was secure, the knight began looking through an outlook of the city map. "What's the status of our Knightmare's deployment?" she asked one of the commanding officers.

"At least sixty percent of our troops have landed safely on the docks" he answered while gesturing to one of the maps on his screen. "The advancing unit at the beachhead had suffered some losses but they can still advance"

"This battle will be an uphill one. Calling for reinforcements will only cause more casualties" she muttered silently to herself. "I guess we'll just have to make due with the troops that we have on the field" she then changed her radio frequency to a long out broadcast. "This is Monica Kruszewski, the Knight of Twelve calling all units. Await my instructions before advancing"

"Yes, my lord"

As Monica looked closely at the map she noticed that the enemy was more focused on defending their positions rather than facing them in head to head combat. But it was a logical tactic. If one knows that he could not take on an enemy by ordinary means he would do what is necessary and face the opponent on equal footing. By digging themselves into a tight formation they prevent the troops from advancing any further but at the same time… that defensive position cannot move from its ground.

"Alright then. Daco's team, move in to the enemy's position using the bridge line. Gobel's team, provide cover. (Yes my lord!)" the Knightmare teams did what they were instructed to do and soon found themselves breaking the enemy formation by a slight margin. "Excellent. Assault unit move in at the Yokohama Landmark tower and take control of the communication facilities there. We can better coordinate with our forces. Bombardier-squad, fire your cannons at the central district and level every building to the ground!"

The squad did just that and began leveling every building within the district. Many of the Black Knight's defenses stationed there were quickly demoralized and were forced to withdraw from that position.

"Bombardment completed my lord" the squad leader reported. "We've exhausted our cannon shells. Returning to supply base to rearm"

"Understood" the Knight of Twelve nodded. "With that entire section down we have ourselves a small opening in the enemy's formation. All Gloucesters, move in to the breach and attack! Follow my lead!"

"Yes sir! All Hail Britannia!!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Tamaki was able to get his Burai out of the wreckage of a destroyed building he groaned silently to himself. "Damn… what the hell? Are those Britannians planning to destroy this whole city? Huh?" he looked at his radar and noted several Knightmares coming through the breach. "Damn! More of them!? Come on you punks! If you guys wanna get through here then you're gonna have to get through me, Shinichiro Tamaki, one of the origin…" he never got to finish his sentence when he noticed a yellow Sutherland began shooting at him with anti-armor rounds. "Ahh man!" he ejected his seat out of the frame and landed safely on one of the nearby ruins.

Within minutes the whole district fell apart, but even with the point lost, the Black Knight forces refused to give up without a fight. Four Burais and three captured Sutherlands made their final stand near the city hall raining bullets at the Britannians. Their attempt was worthy of recognition, taking out two Gloucesters and a few Sutherlands that managed to breakthrough. After ten or so minutes, they were destroyed.

"Lady Monica, we've secured the area just as you ordered" one of the soldiers reported in.

"Good" she nodded before turning her gaze towards the second beachhead of the Black Knights where the G-1 fortress was stationed. "Now all we need to do is break through their last line of defense and take out that mobile fortress. I have a good feeling that's where they're coordinating their troops from" she quickly changed the frequency to get Admiral Kyle on the screen. "Admiral Kyle, we've broken through the enemy lines. We're preparing to mount our assault on the G-1 mobile fortress"

"Understood. It'll be good to be rid of that machine. It's been pinning our troops all over the region and the city itself is on the verge of collapse"

She nodded back in reply. "Yes. The last line of defense seems tougher than all that we've encountered so far. I need you to send any reinforcements you can provide"

The man looked at his map for a moment and tried intently to find a possible solution but it appeared that all of his troops seemed to be pinned down on all sides. "I'm sorry, but all our forces in the area are in a dead lock with the Black Knights. If we start pulling troops from the area we'll be breaking out formation and we risk losing everything"

"I see. Then are there any words from General Calares? He should have sent some reinforcements for us"

"He has my lady. But uh… the reinforcements he sent are… quite questionable"

Monica raised a brow, a bit puzzled on what he meant. "What do you mean?"

"The reinforcements he sent are a small army of Sutherlands milady" he explained. "But the strange thing is… they all appeared to be piloted by honorary Britannians from Area 19 (Russia) and Area 5 (France)"

"Calares is using numbers to pilot Knightmares?"

"Yes. Apparently during his last campaign against the E.U. General Calares suffered a large amount of casualties" the admiral let out a small bead of sweat as he continued the brief explanation. "The empire didn't have the manpower to replace all of them so he drafted the numbers into his ranks"

"He probably just wants to use them as meat shields" Monica concluded with a half grunt. "Very well. I guess we'll just have to break through to the enemy with what we can get. Have the honorary Britannians move in with the main force and reinforce the other sectors"

"Yes my lord!"

**(Tokyo settlement) (Government Bureau command center)**

Zero starred…

He starred almost too deeply. It was as if his eyes were locked onto the screen of the computer and many were certain for sure that even if a pig flew right in front of him he wouldn't even flinch a bit. He was humored to how everything was going according to plan. In front of him stood three large screens all showing the three cities that were currently under attacked by the Britannian forces. He grinned and laughed all the more slightly when he looked at the blue and red dots slowly disappearing from the screen.

It was like watching ants bicker over a chunk of meat that some sadistic jerk threw in just to see who would win the prize.

But as he motioned the screen away, he noticed Diethard giving him a strange look. He recognized the signal almost instantly and stood up from his chair. "They're here?"

"Yes" the intelligence officer nodded. "And it seems like they've brought more troops than we had expected" the picture on the main screen quickly to Calares's aerial fleet which was now hovering just above the outskirts of the settlement.

"It's just a show of force. There's no need to panic" Zero grinned. Even though Death himself was starring him right at his face, he didn't falter. "Now Calares… make your move"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board Calares's main flagship carrier, the General himself was snickering happily as he looked upon the soon to be called 'his Tokyo city'. He could see easily that his forces outnumbered Zero's own army. He didn't even need to count when the charts were already as obvious as the sun in the sky.

"Well well… is this it?" he chuckled. "Is this what the mighty Zero that defeated Cornelia had been reduced to? A few smoldering remnants of Knightmares and tanks? What a pathetic excuse for an army"

"Sir" one of the officers called to his attention. "We have double scanned the whole city and the outskirts. The Black Knights seems to be focusing most of their troops and heavy units around Babel tower. They appear to be well equip with several Knightmares and heavy weaponries"

"Tch… they're nothing more but a bunch of rabble" Calares laughed. "Send in the Hauffburg forces"

"Huh?" the officer gasped. "But sir, that unit is comprised mostly of Honorary Britannians"

"Exactly. They can prove their loyalty to Britannia by becoming my little test subjects. If they succeed then good for them, if they fail… well…… we can draft more of them back in the E.U. areas. I hear that Area 18 has made a large number of slaves lately. Heh… they're worth nothing more than mere bodies to be thrown at our enemies. Have those pathetic worms land in first just outside the city. After that, our own forces will follow in when they advance"

"Yes, my lord" when the order was given out, nearly two hundred honorary Britannians began to drop onto the city outskirts where Zero once used to make his entrance into the city itself. The district that he leveled down became their pathway into the city and there was only one way to counteract this move effectively.

"Alright, you numbers!" Calares began to speak to his soldiers through the mic. "Your objective in this mission is the complete destruction of the Black Knights that have terrorized the Tokyo settlement area. All of you are to report to your superiors the moment you drop in. Any violation or question will be dealt with the punishment of instant death! Once you cleared out the city of this pathetic force of a resistance, the claiming of the government bureau will be handle by the imperial forces! You people carry the honorary title of Britannians now but you were all born as numbers so therefore the stench of these monkeys ought to be a familiar one! If you want to prove your loyalty to Britannia then show me some results!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Heh…" Calares grinned as he closed the com channel. He turned to one of his subordinates. "Contact the media back at the homeland"

"Sir?"

"We'll make the extermination of these terrorist a media event. Have them show this destruction to the entire world. When the emperor sees of my victory he'll have to promote me to Viceroy"

"A… as you wish sir"

**(Osaka frontlines)**

"Commander Tohdoh!" came another emergency call from the radio. "Enemy reinforcements! There are tons of them!"

"Tch…" the colonel gritted his teeth. "What's the status of Osaka castle?"

"The enemy forces are trying to punch through, but our troops are holding them off. I don't know how long they can hold out"

"This is armored unit four! We lost our flank units and are under heavy fire!" another soldier radioed in. "Enemy airpower is suppressing our armored division! We're sitting ducks out here!"

"Major Kurotan has been killed!"

"This is Osaka artillery batteries. We're running low on ammunitions and our supply convoy was destroyed by an enemy surprise attack"

"Defense group six here. We've spotted enemy Knightmares and amphibian reinforcements entering the docks area. We're outnumbered and outmatch. We're withdrawing to Osaka castle to assist in its defense"

"There's a breach in the wall! Fire team, plug in the hole and fill that section with their corpses!"

"This is control tower! Our defense units have fallen and we're completely surrounded! Requesting backup! I repeat, we need arghh!!!! (gun shots)"

"Damn it!" in a rare sight of anger Tohdoh slammed his radio back to its socket and clenched his fist tightly together. "I should've known they'd push through eventually"

Chiba then motioned to him. "Colonel, we have to move now. If we attack the enemy from the rear we have a good chance to turn this battle around"

"No… not yet" he denied the request. "There are only five of us here… and even if we did catch them off guard we'll be caught between their artillery barrage and their armored battalions. We'll be riding straight towards our death"

"Then what!?" Asahina yelled out breaking off his cool form for once. "Are we just supposed to sit here and wait for some kind of miracle!?"

"Exactly…" Tohdoh nodded bluntly, earning himself a strange and disapproving look from his followers. "I have to believe. My faith will not falter. I believe in Zero…"

"Colonel, you're trusting the lives of our people to a person who isn't even Japanese!" Chiba barked at her commander.

"What else can I do!?" he snapped finally with his voice reaching its peak. "If we go there now, our death would mean nothing and this battle will still be a lost! We're going to wait and that's final" he quickly hinted his other followers that the topic was closed and there would be no further arguments or discussion about it. _"Zero… where is your miracle?"_

**(Tokyo settlement)**

"Now… I believe it's time for a miracle, don't you think, Diethard?" it was a good thing that Zero was wearing a mask that moment. Because if anyone, saw his evil sadistic-grin, they would certainly be paralyzed and become too frightened to move by the horrors of his near demonic features. Heck, even Satan himself would be proud to see that grin once in awhile. "Elie, get ready to begin. It's your moment to shine"

"Y… yes sir!" Elie stuttered wearily as he moved his blue Knightmare into position. His frame was positioned just at the highest point of the outskirt ruins of Tokyo where can perfectly see the large Britannian army closing in around him. When at least fifty Knightmares crossed through the threshold of the ruined settlement, he gulped a large chunk of his own saliva and prepared that speech that Zero had made for him. "Oh boy. I can't even begin to tell what kind of inspirational speech this is…"

"You still lack confidence I see…" Zero motioned.

Elie looked at him nervously and saw on his own reflection that he was indeed very nervous. "Y… yeah… I guess you caught me. I'm not really a speaker, maybe you should do it"

"Do not worry Elie. I believe in you" then suddenly with one simple move of his fingers, Zero activated the slumbering Geass that was placed in a special area of the boy's brain. "Go now… my **Blue Baron**"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In an instant, red rings surrounded Elie's eyes putting him into an instant trance. "Yes… of course my lord… you can always rely on me" with a motion that would've shocked even the gods themselves, Elie opened fire to the advancing Britannian army, forcing them to halt in their tracks.

"What the!?" the Britannian officer halted. "W… who is that?"

"Attention! Britannians and Honorary Britannians all!" Elie began in his hypnotized trance. "I am Baron Elie Damon Deledantes, the Blue Baron of Britannia and a soldier of the Black Knights!"

The honorary Britannians who heard the name and title of the soldier quickly gasped in shock. They had heard of this name before and many of those who served in other areas recognized his blue colored Sutherland almosgt instantly. "W… what? It can't be…"

"Is it really him?"

"Baron?" one of the Russian soldiers gapped.

Seeing that the enemy force have halted their advance, Elie continued with his speech. "The Britannian army you now serve is weak and General Calares's words are nothing more but empty promises! You should all know that! You were all sent here to be martyrs for his glory and for that I cannot allow! Those who would treat his soldiers as trash is worse than trash itself! I have seen Britannia's lies take over the lives of people but still I did nothing to stop it! But that ends right here and now!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Funny… isn't it?" Diethard turned to Zero with a baffled look on his face. "He refers to Britannians as liars yet he declares himself to be a Britannian"

"An infinite paradox" the masked leader replied with a hint of a laughter behind his mask. "It's not a difficult puzzle to solve and when you overturn it, it becomes a conflicting emotion that even Europeans would be able to understand"

"But still… why did make his speech become a free open channel?"

"Because I wanted everyone to hear" Zero grinned. "Yes…… and with this… begins our counterattack"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tohdoh also heard the speech coming in from his radio and he was listening to it intently. He knew that only Zero could've written such a delicate speech and could tell right away that this was his signal to return the favor to Britannia. As he listened to it closely following every word, he grinned slightly to himself all the while readying himself for battle in his frame.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ohgi and everyone else seemed rather confused at first but then with a single gesture, they could tell that this was the time that they should counterattack. The speech was the signal and somehow they could tell that everything will work just fine.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"My comrades!" Elie waved his Sutherland's rifle in the air to signal his motion to the honorary Britannians. "Hear me! I am the man who will give you your freedom! I shall be the one who will be responsible for your deaths! Maim me, insult me and blame me for the fall of your nation all you like…… but what I simply ask of you in return… is to lift your heads once again and fight!!! Fight not for yourselves or your freedom, but show them pride that you all once had! Remind yourself of who you truly are!"

The whole battlefield was silent. No perhaps silent was not the right word. The battlefield was grinded into a complete halt. The guns that were blazing just a few seconds ago has ceased and only the voice of the boy who was under the power of Geass could be heard. Every Britannian and Japanese stopped and watched as the boy unfolded his plan in motion. It looked as if someone had pressed the pause button during the climax scene of an action packed movie.

But while everyone was as shock, one of the honorary Britannians from Area 19 who was piloting a Sutherland began to laugh. "Hehehehe…… hahahaha! Lord Deledantes, it really is you!"

"Lord Deledantes… our savior…!" another spoke out. "I never once believed that you would be killed. The rumors of your deathwere a lie"

"My lord!"

"You there, Fives!" a Britannian officer bellowed. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Go in there and fight you…!"

"Shut up you Britannian!" a Frenchman roared out as he suddenly fired his weapon at him without warning. "This commander Francois to all Frenchmen! It's time!"

"Wha!?" another Britannian soldier suddenly noted when three of his command units pointed their guns at him. "Wait a minute! Fives, what do you…? (bang!)"

"Comrades!" the Russian commander spoke out. "I have decided our fate! We side with the Blue Baron! (HOOO!!!!) All Honorary Britannians! This is Major Yuri Ivonavich Gorky (Character from the game **Original War**) of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). It's time we showed them the pride of the Red Army!"

A/N: I would love to say 'Glory to Mother Russia or the Motherland' but that would just be cheesie, don't you agree?

With the command given out by the officer in charge, the honorary Britannians were quickly shown the light of their actions and with the words of a single soldier, they had turned against their own oppressors into a battle for their rights to be called by their own countries again.

**(Britannian 8****th**** division aerial carrier)**

When the com officer was notified of the insurgence rebellion happening within the ranks of their army he quickly reported back to his superior about it. "General Calares, the… the honorary Britannians, they're…"

"WHAT!!!?" the muscle man roared. "They're defecting here and now!? Those ungrateful wretches! I gave them a chance to prove themselves and this is how they repay me!? (BOOM!) What the!?" as he looked to where the direction of the explosion was coming from he realized that the attack was actually coming from one of their escort ships. "What!? Why are our escorts firing at us!?"

"There's been a breakout sir!" another officer answered while trying to maintain order in his area. "The honorary troops stationed inside the 'Valiant' have started a coup! They've taken control of one of the gun turrets!"

"Grrr…! He… he planned this! That Zero… actually planned this!!!?"

"Commander, word from the frontlines! The honorary Britannians have begun attacking Kyle's and Michi's fleet. They're surrounded on all sides and their formations are crumbling!"

**(Tokyo settlement) (Government bureau)**

"This is incredible!" Diethard motioned to the screen. "We have the entire honorary Britannians at our disposal!"

"Exactly, which means the time has come for us to strike back" Zero said as he pressed a button on the monitor. "This is Zero calling to all Black Knights! The enemy formation has crumbled and their forces are in disarray. This is now your moment of truth. Show the Britannians the spirit of the Japanese people! Go now and earn your right to live in the land of the rising sun!"

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Tohdoh saw the chaos that had suddenly wrought upon the Britannian army and to say the least he was stunned. But the Four Holy Sword behind him was more surprised then he was. They expected Zero to pull out a miracle but this has gone beyond what they had hoped for. The reinforcements the commander lied about earlier were now coming true and with that last move, the whole city had once again been caught in a deep sea of fire.

"Now is the time!" with a quick gesture of his hand, Tohdoh threw away his radio walkie-talkie and commanded the Four Holy Swords to their frames and began attacking the enemy from the rear of their formation. "Everyone, listen carefully. If this truly was Zero's plan, it should allow us to attack the enemy force from behind. We will join in with the Rebels and punch through their supply base! Go now and fight with honor. Take revenge for what happened seven years ago"

"Yes sir! By the honor of the Four Holy Swords"

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Ohgi too saw this as an opportunity to strike back. With the morale of the Britannian army plummeting to the ground and their forces in disarray he quickly ordered a full scale counterattack. Gathering what left he could find on the battlefield he became certain that victory was assured. Tamaki was jabbering to him about sending him a spare frame to make him part of the counterattack but sadly there were none to spare.

"Alright everyone! Let's go!"


	3. The Battle for Japan Part 2

**Chapter 3: The Battle for Japan (Part 2)**

If one would look at the battle that was happening at Japan right now, they would only mutter a single word that would be the perfect fit for it.

Chaos…

That was the only thing one could say at the time. There were no hints of strategy, skill or tactics in the battle. Only strength and pure speed made the difference. With the honorary Britannians rebelling against superiors many of the knights couldn't differentiate friend from foe. In the end, everyone began thinking of each other as enemies.

In Tokyo, the formation of Calares's personal forces were being hammered by their own troops. In Osaka, Tohdoh and his Four Holy Swords joined up with the rebelled reinforcements to take on the enemy that were trying to push through to the castle. In Kanagawa, Kallen was rallying whatever troops she could muster and lead them towards the enemy fleet that had foolishly made port on the docks.

And where the chaos would take them? Only time can tell…

**(Tokyo Settlement) (Outskirts)**

When the Geass on Elie had vanished he suddenly got confused on what was happening. "Wha? What the? What's going on?" he looked at his monitors and checked if his Knightmare had any problems. "Did I choke on my speech?"

"Commander Elie!" came one of the Japanese honorary Britannians. "What are your orders sir?"

"Huh? But what did I…?"

"Excellent work Elie…" Zero's face suddenly cut him off his sentence. "That speech of yours was very dramatic and very moving"

"My speech?"

"Yes… and now that the honorary Britannians have joined on our side, you can now fight to your heart's content"

"Y… yes, understood sir" though his mind was still muddled, Elie decided to put his confusion aside for now and focus on the battle. "What are your orders?"

"Hold the enemy off with your troops and if you can't hold them out any longer, withdraw to Babel tower and await my instructions"

"Yes, my lord!" Elie shouted finally before rallying his troops. "Alright men, this is it! Spread out and coordinate attacks with the others! Cannon units focus your attack on the enemy's main carrier! Assault teams, move in to the wall and lay out suppressing fire!"

"Yes, my lord!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The plan worked perfectly…" Zero said in his usual bored tone. "It's almost too easy. But even with the honorary Britannians on our side now, Calares still outnumbers our troops five to one. He'll probably send more later"

"What!? You mean there are more of them Master Zero!?" Kaguya shrieked.

"What we're looking right now is just a portion of his main personal guards" he answered bluntly. "Though it would cause confusion among his ranks, we will still need a substantial amount of luck to pull this through" the boy then turned his gaze to Diethard whose lips were already near the point of drooling as he looked at the chaos ensued on the screen before him. The media man had always known Zero to be the man of chaos himself but this was beyond what he had bargained for. In fact… this was perhaps even too great even for him to comprehend.

"_This is incredible…"_ he thought silently while he watched the splendor of the show before him. _"I thought that Zero's liberation of Tokyo was to become my greatest scoop… the news that will put my name into the books of history. But now that I think about it… that little document is but the cream of the scoop… no… the tip of the iceberg. Hahahaha! No… there's an even bigger news…… with this amount of chaos he could destroy the world!"_ he grinned and began chuckling in a near insane amount. _"Yes… that's it… that will the title of my greatest scoop! Zero… the man of miracles! The man who will destroy the world…… and make it… anew! Haha! Brilliant! I was right to follow him. He will destroy not just Britannian, but the entire world with it!"_

"Diethard…" the man was brought out of his trance by the mention of his name. "I'm going out to assist C2 with the plan. Take Kaguya with you and head for the Safe Zone"

"What? But Zero!" Diethard and Kaguya motioned almost in unison.

"The battle has turned out to be more destructive than I had imagined. If things turn out to what I believe then the government bureau will be caught in the crossfire"

"But Master Zero" Kaguya pleaded. "I can't walk away now, not after what happened! I have to stay here till the very end!"

"And you can't send me out either!" Diethard agreed wholeheartedly. "I have seen the destruction here and it is my job to document every moment of this battle! This is the battle for Japan we're talking about"

"Your lives will be in danger if you stay here" he reasoned with a bored tone knowing well that they would react like this.

"Putting one's own life in danger is a journalist's first commitment!"

"And as your future wife I cannot abandon you" Kaguya then held the tape that Zero gave to her earlier. "I still have this and you need me to put it in for you! I must do my part in freeing Japan as well"

Zero looked at them and gave out a small chuckle in their petty attempts to stay. He gave them a moment's pause before turning his back at them. "Very well then. Do whatever you want. I won't be responsible for your deaths. Kaguya, you stay here and wait for the moment. (Of course) Diethard, I'm taking the spare Knightmare out since the Gawain is still in repair. Assign a squad to be my escort to Babel tower"

"At once!" when Zero left the room Diethard quickly turned to the radio consol. "Guard unit five, report in at the courtyard of the government bureau. Tank unit twelve, anti-armor infantry squad six and nine, create a defensive perimeter from here to Babel Tower"

"But sir" came a soldier's voice on the other line. "… that will put the government bureau defenseless. If the enemy retakes this place then we'll lose our command center"

"You idiot! Zero is making his way towards Babel tower right at this moment! The command center is dirt compared to him! Without him this entire war is lost! Do you hear me!? You are to protect Zero with your own worthless lives!"

"Y… yes sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with Diethard's extreme orders, Zero indeed found himself in the escort of six other Burais that were waiting for him at the main entrance of the government bureau. He was riding upon his personal Burai with the red customized head to differentiate his own Knightmare from the others. Just as he was about to depart, he turned on the monitor on his left to contact C2.

"C2, I'm on my way to Babel tower. How goes the preparations?"

"Everything is almost in place. About ten minutes more and we should be done"

"Excellent… and Rakshata?"

"She's completed her end so it should be fine" she answered. She allowed a moment to pass by for a second before worrying about the future. "Zero… do you truly want to go on with this? The enemy numbers are large and you might get yourself killed"

"What's this? Are you concerned about my well being?" he grinned at her. "That doesn't sound like you, my immortal witch"

She blushed slightly at this. "I'm just saying that you still have a contract to fulfill"

"Of course… it hasn't slipped my mind for a moment" he reminded himself. "But at the moment there is a battle to be won and an empire to be toppled before I am to fulfill that contract. Changing your usefulness to me will only get you killed… again…"

"Heh… I've died a thousand times already in this century" C2 grew out a smirk. "What's one more death to add to the count?"

"Heh… just hearing that from you makes me laugh" with that last remark Zero turned off the screen and headed in with the Burai unit behind him. "Alright… let's move out"

"Yes master Zero" the sergeant of the squad lifted himself up. "We have arranged a short path for you to get to the tower. Please follow us. Unit 1 and 2 take up position behind him and watch Zero's back. 3 and 4, with me. I'll take point and master Zero will be at the center"

"Yes sir!" as they slide out of the facility, Zero noticed that there were several vehicles and tanks lining on one side of the road. It was as if they were expecting an attack or something. On the rooftops he could also see several original Black Knight soldiers carrying rocket launchers guarding the skies zealously.

"All units. Zero is leaving the government bureau for the Babel tower. Tighten our defenses and move in quickly"

**(Osaka frontlines)**

Kyoshiro Tohdod smiled pleasingly as he cut another Britannian Sutherland in half. His Four Holy Swords were not far behind and with great speed they attacked the enemy's rearguard unit with little effort of their own. The battle was going well on their end. With the main fleet itself sunk by their own honorary Britannians whatever was left the Britannian army was sandwiched right between Tohdoh's men and the remaining soldiers at Osaka castle.

"Colonel, we've crushed the enemy fleet and their reinforcements!" Senba reported as he saw the dots of the IFF signals beeping in. "The only remaining enemy force is located inside the city"

"Alright, switch to Spinning Life or Death formation!"

"Yes sir!"

"_Zero… you really pulled one off for me, didn't you…"_

"Colonel…" Asahina called in as he cut another Sutherland in three portions. "I've just got a report from one of the Russian rebel troopers. The enemy seems to have made a temporary base at the Nishi, Naniwa and Fukushima district. They're trying to siege Chuo-ku district and breakthrough"

"Then we'll have to move in fast" Tohdoh then shifted his unit back up and leading a small contingency of resistance fighters through the streets. "Alright listen up everyone! The enemy is confused and isolated! Their reinforcements have been dealt with and only a few of them remain! If we can take them out, then it'll be victory for us all!!"

"Hooo!!"

**(Kanagawa frontlines)**

The Britannians that were attacking in Kanagawa were not fairing any better either. With their enemy's numbers bolstered by their own ranks, the entire chain of command had gone into disarray. Knightmares were falling and whatever was left of their fleet was now sinking at the bottom of the bay.

The only remaining commander who everyone looked up to for salvation in this dark time was the Knight of Twelve, Monica Kruszewski. But even she couldn't handle the brilliant strategy that Zero came up with.

"What!?" she yelled at one of her escorts. "Our forces are turning on each other!?"

"Y… yes milady" the man in the Gloucester shuddered in his frame. "I've just received word from our reserve units. Apparently the honorary Britannians have turned against us and are coordinating with the enemy"

"What about Admiral Kyle?"

"We lost contact with him a few minutes ago. We've lost all air superiority and Gobel's team is being isolated!"

"What do we do Lady Monica?"

Monica gritted her teeth but stood fast as another cannon shell landed just a few meters away from her position. "Geh! I can't return to the emperor like this. If only that idiot Calares followed conventional tactics then we wouldn't be in this mess. I'll never be able to live down this shame!" she then turned on her radio to another channel. "We have to fall back and regroup! We can't fight like this!"

"But milady! All of our ships have sunk!"

"What about the ships at the beachhead? They should still be there"

"Yes, they are, but they're way across the city through the G-1 mobile fortress. We won't be able to make it"

"Then we'll just have to punch a hole through their formation and hope for the best! I'm not gonna sit back here like a trapped rat! All Knightmares, report to my side and follow me!" Monica aimed her giant rifle at the Black Knights. "We'll cut through them one way or another! Show them the pride of the Britannian army!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"All. Hail. Britannia!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ohgi noted the enemy formation crumbling and knew well that the leaders of the enemy would not surrender without a fight. "Looks like they're trying to breakthrough our lines" he grumbled. "Minami, Sugiyama, tell all our remaining Knightmares to hold the center of city. Turn the G-1 fortress around and we can provide covering fire"

"Roger" Sugiyama nodded. "Captain Jubei, have the Raikou position back near the G-1. We can provide you cover"

"Understood, we're on our way now. But this thing is a bit difficult to move ya know" the man one the other com laughed. "Give us three minutes and we should… huh? Is that a… a yellow Sutherland? Wha? It's fast! Defense unit, cover us while we withdraw!"

"Yes sir! We'll show that little poser who he's messin wha? AHHH!!!!"

"What the hell!?" the man known as Jubei choked in the radio. "Load the gun now! Raikou secondary startup. Lock both Quad linkage legs! (Locked sir!) Super Electro Magnetic Shrapnel Cannon voltage, confirm! (pause) Ready to fire on…… huh? Where'd it go? (pause) No, from above!? AHHHH!!! (Boom!)"

"Captain Jubei!"

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The said Raikou that the man piloted exploded into pieces, leaving very little left for salvage. To the Black Knight's surprise, a large number of Britannian Sutherlands and Gloucesters began to pour in from that breach and without any hesitation began to their attack on the G-1 fortress.

"Elevens, hear me!" shouted the blonde Knight of the Round as she fired a barrage at the enemy's tank battalion. "Know that you face against I, Monica Kruszewski, the honorable Knight of Twelve! If any of you wish for a swift death then come at me!"

"Down with Britannia!" a squad of three Burais yelled out while charging at her provocation. With one swoop of her tonfa, Monica whacked through their thin armor with relative ease.

"They really are dedicated fighters" she admired their vigor with some sense of decency. But just as she was about to make another move, she noticed that the G-1 fortress was turning around to face them. If it rotates fully, the immense firepower from its cannons would surely mow her forces down.

"Lady Monica" one of the Gloucesters called in. "We can punch through their formation here. But we'll suffer a lot of casualties from our rear"

"No…" she said suddenly which surprised them all. The girl knew that if she ran now, she would be abandoning all the soldiers to their deaths. So for the price of one, she called in for a bargain sale. "I'll hold off the enemy. The rest of you are to breakthrough the enemy lines and withdraw to the beach. Return to the homeland"

"But Lady Monica!"

"That is an order soldier!" she barked at him. "I have a mission to complete and I won't return to the homeland in shame! Even if I have to do it alone, I will! For the sake of Princess Cornelia, I will succeed!"

"A… as you wish…"

And with that order given, Monica charged in with her yellow Sutherland towards the G-1 fortress alone with a single assault rifle and a lance. If some were to see this, they would immediately say that the person driving the Knightmare was practically screaming 'kill me now and be done with it' or something like that.

On the first move, the G-1 and six Black Knight Sutherlands began firing at the approaching enemy. Monica dodged the bullets and hastily leaped up into the air to fire and fired her Slash Harkens at the fortress itself. She then swung herself to the top of a ruined building and fired her assault rifle at the less defended Black Knights. Two of the Sutherlands broke down and their pilots ejected.

"Come and get me!" she yelled at them as if taunting a six year old to punch her at the face. "Come on now! Is this all that the Black Knights have to offer!? I can take all of you down with one hand tied behind my back" she jumped down the building and pierce a third enemy frame with her lance. "If you guys don't improve, then this fight will be too easy!"

But in reality, Monica herself was already putting her body and mind to its limit. She was moving so fast and without even thinking that her conscious was barely able to catch on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Kallen heard of the news about a single Sutherland holding Ohgi and the others she quickly stuttered away from her position. "What? A single Knightmare?"

The Burai pilot nodded. "Yes. Apparently, she's calling herself the Knight of Twelve or something"

"THE KNIGHT OF TWELVE!!!?" Kallen screamed at him upon remembering what C2 said earlier 2 days ago. "Is it truly her? The one that Zero and Elie were talking about?"

"_You don't want to lose that title now do you?"_

"_They say that the Knights of the Rounds are the finest soldiers in Britannia. If you could defeat one of them, I have a good feeling that no one… not even Tohdoh can voice against your position"_

"_Think about it: An Eleven that can actually defeat a Knight of the Round. That'll be something to put on the news"_

"An Eleven that can beat a Knight of the Round" she muttered softly to herself.

"_Eventually there will be a pilot who can outmatch you, and when that happens, your title of Q-1 will be taken away…"_

"Grrr…!" the mere thought of losing to a Britannian was bad enough, but the pain of actually losing her title to another was unmatched. So without even having second thoughts she rushed out. "You there" she pointed at the Burai commander. "I'm leaving this area to you! Don't let a single Britannian get through!" and without even waiting for a reply, she leaped off through the rooftops of nearby buildings.

"W… wait! Captain Kouzuki!"

**(Tokyo settlement) (Britannian 8****th**** division aerial carrier)**

Boom…

Another explosion erupted on the starboard side of the aerial carrier of Calares's personal fleet. For hours now he had been enduring the shame of his first lost. But still he had plenty of soldiers to spare. After seeing blip after blip of his own forces disappearing from the map and being replaced by the word 'LOST' he began gritting his teeth in slight anger.

"Commander, we have word from our ground troops. They're setting up a defensive position around the outskirts of the settlement"

"Tell those idiots to break off their gutless asses and get back to the fight!" Calares roared, completely ignoring basic logic at this point. "Deploy whatever is left of our forces to the surface! Have them advance to the city and breakthrough their lines. Formation doesn't matter here!"

"But sir! We'll suffer heavy casualties like that! We can't just go running into their defenses!"

"I don't care! My title is on the line! All units are to head for the government bureau! Their command structure will be put to a halt once we take over that area! I want our air units laying suppressing fire on that building now!"

"Yes, my lord!"

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"Haaaaaaa!!!" that was the sound of Elie as he roared through the battlefield with his blue Sutherland and slamming his lance onto a Britannian Gloucester. The enemy pilot groaned out in fear and panic but the boy showed no signs of hesitation or remorse. "Forgive me my old comrades… but I have made my decision. I side with the Black Knights!" The Knightmare exploded and without even mourning for the man's lost, Elie continued his relentless assault on the crumbling enemy troops.

"Commander Elie" called in one of the pilots from his unit. "Enemy reinforcements. We believe them to be the reserve force of General Calares's personal guards"

"So the big man himself decides to take the stage huh?" Elie grinned. "Alright then. Tell the others to fall back to Babel tower. Have the 2nd squad provide cover for the Russians and Frenchmen. 1st squad with me. We'll distract the enemy troops and withdraw as planned"

"Yes, my lord" they yelled out in unison

"And you guys really should stop calling me that" Elie smirked. "We're not in the Britannian military anymore you know"

"Sorry sir… old habits are hard to die"

Elie then motioned his Knightmare to move in towards a thick enemy formation head on. "Alright you guys! Here I come!"

When the Britannian saw the blue Sutherland approaching their position, they immediately began to panic. "Is that who I think it is?"

"The Blue Baron? It can't be!" another shrieked. "Don't let up! Keep firing!" the four Sutherlands began shooting but not a single bullet managed to make contact with the target. Two Gloucesters saw this and fired their missiles at him but again, they missed. "What the!? That thing is moving too fast for a Sutherland! Is it a new design!?"

Once Elie was able to get within a close range of the enemy he immediately threw away his lance and popped out a weapon from his free arm which looked a lot like a pipe. "Now I'll show you lot, why they call me the Blue Baron! Let me see you burn!" and with a press of a button a large stream of non-luminous flame flared out from the pipe, catching every last one of the Britannians off guard. Within seconds before they could even let out a scream, their metallic cockpits melted and their small Sakuradite reactor cores exploded.

In just one maneuver, Elie was able to take out six enemy Knightmare frames.

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At the center of Babel tower, Zero had recently just arrived at the small base that the Black Knights have established under his command. To say the least, security in this place was admirable for his taste. There were Knightmares guarding the main entrance and several infantries inside the building itself. There were also several anti-air vehicles stationed at the bottom level, protected by some ruined buildings. He had to admit right then that even Calares would find it difficult to get through here.

"Very impressive" Zero stated admirably as he watched the battle of Elie through a screen in his Burai. "The title of Blue Baron truly does fit a man of his caliber. He's really living up to his reputation. Using a powerful flamethrower to decimate the enemy and creating chaos at the same time. Though it's not as powerful as the Guren's Radiant Wave Surger, it certainly makes a mess of things"

"Zero…" C2's voice echoed from the com channel. "We're nearly done here. It's time for you to make your appearance"

"Understood" he confirmed gesturing to his troops to follow. "Have every anti-air unit ready to fire on my mark. All batteries, aim for the enemy's main aerial carrier!"

"Yes sir!"

"C2, join up with me once you're done"

"Are you sure?" she questioned looking slightly puzzled.

"Of course. I may need your immortal power just in case"

"Taking precaution and using me as a decoy?"

"If I did that, there wouldn't be a point to our little contract now, would it?" Zero said in a slight teasing tone which annoyed the green haired witch. "I simply need you to be with me when I make myself known"

"And your reason?"

"Because you're a valued combatant" was his answer. "Who else would I entrust my life with than my very own accomplice?"

C2 paused for a moment and let out a small grunt pass through her lips as she replied. "Fine… I'll meet you at the top floor, but you're paying my next pizza"

"Was there ever a time when you paid it with your own money?" Zero teased which the girl simply responded by closing the channel. "Heh… looks like I got under her skin"

"Master Zero…" came one of the Burai pilots from a different channel. "The cargo elevator is ready for you sir. Since this was used to transport supplies to different levels, they're wide enough to take in a few Knightmares as well. It'll only take you to the 58th floor so you'll have to take the stairway to the rooftop. We'll accompany you"

"That won't be necessary" he waved them off. "I can take the elevator myself. Have your unit join in with the defenses and await my command"

"Understood sir…"

When Zero entered to the cargo elevator he turned the signal of his radio to another source. "Diethard, I'm almost in position. Is everything in place?"

"Yes Zero" the man replied. "Everything is prepared. Should I send more reinforcements? The enemy's fleet is approaching our position"

"No… the troops I have with me will be sufficient" Zero gestured as the elevator began to move upwards. "When the operation comes into play, immediately switch to backup generators. The only thing necessary to power is communications, everything else are secondary. Once Calares aims for the Babel tower I will play all my hands in this battle. How are Ohgi and Tohdoh fairing?"

"They seem to have repelled the enemy" Diethard answered with a pleased face. "Tohdoh is mopping up what's left of their forces in Osaka and the enemies in Kanagawa are in full retreat. However they still seem to be putting up a fight against the Black Knights"

"Good. It seems like everything is going according to plan. Keep communication silence until I contact you again. Tell everyone to keep moving forward and whatever happens… no one is to stop… until I say so…"

"Ha! Of course Zero! As you command!" Diethard then began typing on the computer console furiously as if he was possessed by a demon itself.

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On one of the many railroad tracks that surrounded the Tokyo settlement area, Rakshata was riding upon a media van which the Black Knights had captured for their use. She was safely away from the battleground so she was free to smoke her pipe as much as she desired.

"Lucked out, haven't we?" she said to one of her assistants. "I can't believe how much time and resources Zero provided us. If only those old coots in Kyoto did the same then I would've made the Guren Mk-II even stronger. But I guess a masked man is more determined than some old men sipping tea in their beds"

"But are you sure this is going to work?" her assistant inquired. "I mean, it's only theory but…"

"If it doesn't then Zero has dug his own grave" Rakshata motioned. "Besides, he's already providing me with so much data, it's the least I could do for him. The Gekkas are proving to be quite efficient but I believe we can mass-produce them if we had adequate time and resources. I even think that they'll even replace the Black Knight's old Burai junk"

"So that means you'll be staying with the Black Knights a little longer, professor?"

"Of course" she answered while puffing out a smoke from her tobacco pipe. "Besides, I haven't had time to mingle with the Lancelot. That Earl of Pudding really put a lot of effort in it so I may as well see what he did"

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But little did Zero and the other members of the Black Knights knew… that another force was working in the shadow of the battlefield. Hidden among the many ruins of the Tokyo settlement, a single silver haired soldier was traveling through the dust of the city, waiting for the right moment to strike at Zero himself.

She knew that if the Black Knights go on without their leader they would immediately crumble and their rebellion halted to a standstill.

Villetta Nu, was her name and she was is perhaps one of the very few who knew who hid behind the mask of Zero.

As she stealthily made her way through old Shibuya station, she took shelter in an old abandoned food court which surprisingly still had a vending machine that still operate. Seeing that she no money on her she grabbed a large chunk of rock and smashed the machine open. She took out a few bottles of water from the machine and slowly made her way to the railway. She knew that not even the Black Knights were smart enough to search that area. But just as she was making her way towards the tunnels, she suddenly noted a rather large orange object sitting in her path.

She recognized it as the Knightmare that battled against Zero's forces two days ago. "Is that… the Siegfried?" she muttered out its name.

The device itself was made of perhaps the finest materials money could buy. Whoever built this must've spared no expense in perfecting it.

As she searched the wreckage for anything she could find, she noticed that the cockpit hatch was opened which means that the pilot must still be alive. And she was right as well. Just when she searched around noticed a trail of blood leading to the side of the wrecked Knightmare frame. She followed it and saw a very familiar man sitting in a slumped up position and a pistol in hand. "Y… you?"

The man pointed the gun at her but later slowly put it down when his eyes recognized the woman. "Villetta?"

"Lord Jeremiah?"

In the next ten minutes, Villetta quickly bandaged the man's wounds with a few medical items she managed to salvage from the station's clinic. The man was so dehydrated from his wait that he gulped all the water that the girl could get him. Afterwards, they began to share each other information that they've managed to accumulate in such short time.

"I'm surprised" Villeta continued. "After the battle of Narita, you were counted among the list of casualties that were caused by the Black Knights. Lord Kewell was one but your body was never found. I thought that you may been buried under the mudslide caused by Zero"

"I see…" Jeremiah said as he poured the bottle of water over his face. In front of him were a few documents and pictures of a certain raven haired boy whom Villetta had been following for awhile. "So this is the face of Zero? Lelouch Lamperouge? Who would've thought?" his conscious had already returned and so did his sanity thanks to the amount of pain he had been suffering.

"I know. I was surprised myself" Villetta nodded. "But my evidences are solid and I've seen it with my own eyes. That boy is Zero and he is the one leading the Black Knights. He's a Britannian commoner and… (Britannian!?) Yes. As for his motives… I don't know. All that I do know that he is obsessed with destroying Britannia. I know that the empire has dealt with rebellions and enemies before………… but this person… he's doesn't just despise Britannia it, he despises the whole Britannian Royal Family"

"That's nothing new" Jeremiah groaned. "With the empire's expansion, it's not a surprise that the royal family itself would've made enemies. But why a Britannian?"

"It's not just that lord Jeremiah" Villetta continued. "This boy alone wouldn't have been able to control people with his own skill. By becoming Zero he made himself a true mortal enemy of Britannia"

"If this boy is that determined… then we'll have to stop him ourselves" Jeremiah said suddenly. "If Zero intends to be the enemy of the Britannian Royal Family then he will have to answer to me first! He will have to answer to Jeremiah Gottwald! I will take this gun and I will not just avenge Prince Clovis… but those whom I failed to carry out my loyalty!"

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"Grrrrr…" Ferdinand Calares was not a happy man at the moment. His fists were balled up and he was grinding his teeth together so hard that it almost sound like a metal workshop in his mouth. The battle for Japan was not going well even from the beginning of the battle. His army was now cut in half and words from Osaka and Kanagawa only seem to darken his mood. Also, the constant attack coming from the starboard escort ships made him lose focus. "By the gods if only I… if only I had seen it coming!"

"General Calares! Incoming from… AHH!" a large number of missiles, rockets and bullets began raining at them, destroying whatever was left of their shield.

"What the hell was that!?" the commander barked. "We're twenty thousand feet above ground! There's no weapon on earth that can reach this distance!"

"We got picture sir!" one of the officers reported. "The Black Knights seemed to have converted Babel tower into a firebase! With their troops at the 50-60th floor, their weapons can reach us! And…… is that……… target confirmed! It's Zero! Zero is on Babel tower!"

"What!?" Calares grinned. "Then go after him! All ships are to head to that direction immediately! Smash Zero and topple that tower down along with him!"

"But sir! Shouldn't we secure the government bureau instead? If we do that we'll be able to make our ground and…"

"You idiot! If these rebels are without a leader then their entire system will fall! Grrr! (Boom) Destroy that ship!" Calares barked out in fumed anger. "Aim all guns and destroy the Valiant! It's proving to be a nuisance!"

"But sir! We still have some men in there! We can't just sacrifice them to (Bang!)…" that was as far as the officer could get when Calares pulled out his gun and put a bullet between his eyes.

"My orders are final!" he roared. "I don't care if we have to sacrifice a few hundred! Do it now! If any of you disobeys my direct command I'll personally kill you myself!"

The men on the bridge shook in fear of their command. He had lost it. That much was obvious. "Y… yes my lord…" the com officer then returned to his seat to give out the order. "All guns, prepare to fire at the Valiant. Orders from high command. Aim at the bridge, engine and power room. 88mm cannons and 150mm cannons load armored piercing rounds. Main guns ready to fire (Pause) And fire!"

With one order, every gun on the aerial carrier fired upon the escort ship… and at point blank range, it was no surprise that the whole ship began to lose its control.

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But on board the escort ship itself, the remaining Russian honorary Britannians that survived the battle took over the bridge and saw themselves plummeting to the city. They knew then that they were about to meet their end. But alas… their sense of duty and loyalty suddenly took over.

The leader of the resistance smiled ever so slightly as he adjusted the falling position of the ship. "Comrade Elie……… I am glad to be able to hear your voice once again before I perish from this world. If only we were to share another bottle of Vodka with you then my heart would be content. Heh… but I guess I'm just asking too much now… aren't I?"

"Comrade Ivanov…" one of the Russian soldiers looked at him with sad eyes. "It's time…"

"Yes I understand" he nodded before turning to the sight before him. He aimed the ship directly upon the center of another escort frigate and hoped to take out two birds with one stone. "Comrade Elie! You sacrificed your name, dignity, honor and title to save the millions of our families! Allow us to repay that debt with our own!" as the ship slowly came closer to another escort ship, a grin flashed before the soldier's lips. "Down with Britannian!! Long live the Motherland!!!!!!!"

"Long live the U.S.S.R!!"

And with that, two ships of Calares's aerial fleet were destroyed in an instant.

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C2 watched in horror in her Sutherland as she zoomed closer to the burning inferno raging before the skies above Tokyo. The chaos that Zero ensued among the ranks of Britannia was more devastating that she believed it would. It didn't just put the strain on every soldier's head, but the mind of their superior commander. She saw how Calares became desperate and how he willingly sacrificed one of his ships just to get things back in order. But in truth his actions only made things more confusing for his troops.

"Just as I expected from Ferdinand Calares" C2 was brought out of her gaze by Zero's voice. "Willing to sacrifice anything but his own life to achieve victory"

"Should we withdraw now?" she inquired. "He's already heading this way with his fleet"

"Not yet. If they see us withdrawing even an idiot like Calares can tell that we're up to something" he replied not wanting to break his pose. "Have the supply crew withdraw out of the battle area and set up a perimeter around the city outskirts. All aerial units are to withdraw as well. They're no match against that carrier in a head-on battle. All other units are to continue firing on the enemy fleet! Don't let up and don't even worry about wasting ammunition!"

"Yes sir!" the soldiers said in unison. "Well? You heard him! All units continue firing! Bring that fleet down to the ground!"

"Yeah! We can do this now!"

**(Kanagawa frontlines)**

"In the name of Britannia, I shall stand fast!" Monica proved herself that afternoon as a true Knight of the Round of the empire. With her steadfast abilities and unmatched tactical skills she was able to hold off the Black Knights alone with a single Knightmare frame. She pushed herself passed her own limits and battled any combatant that was ready to meet their doom. Using whatever weapons she could find on the field she practically plowed herself through defense line of the Japanese forces with great effort.

She had already lost count on how many tanks she took out and how many Knightmares she destroyed. But she does remember that it was at least more than 15 because that was the last number she said to herself before she stopped counting. The G-1 fortress itself was also a wreck because of her sudden desperado action.

"So… is that all of their troops?" she muttered to herself before the G-1 base loosely defended. "Then all that's standing between me and victory is that fortress. If I take it down then I might be able to rally the troops and aid rescue Princess Cornelia" Seeing an opportunity to strike at their main headquarters here in Kanagawa, she rushed her Knightmare through the mud and dust to make a final attack on the enemy.

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"It's coming right towards us!" shouted Minami. "All guns, fire at that Knightmare! Don't let it get any closer! All remaining units are to focus on their attacks on that thing as well!"

"Have the G-1 fortress fall back" Ohgi commanded. "If we lose this position then the enemy will be able to regroup and reorganize. Deploy our reserve force and have the Kanto Shoguns move in from the flank. If we can surround her, we can defeat her!"

"She's broken through!" one of the soldiers yelled out. When Ohgi and Minami saw the yellow Sutherland break through their lines they were baffled beyond belief. They saw it took out the G-1's lower guns and saw how easily she mowed down their remaining frames with her assault rifle. As it finally clung onto the bridge of the fortress, the Knight of the Round inside the Knightmare spoke out to them with her loud speakers on.

"Elevens, your time has come! Face the judgment of our emperor!" but just before she could pull the trigger, the Guren suddenly appeared out into the open and damaged Monica's Knightmare by the shoulder. "What the!?"

"Kallen!?" Ohgi gasped in relief.

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"Geh!" Monica fell over towards a small Pizza Hut store at the end of the street. "Damn it! Another Knightmare?" she then noticed that the Red Knightmare that attacked her earlier was moving in for the kill so with speed that could match against Suzaku himself, Monica moved her frame out of the zone, missing the attack by just a few seconds and into a more defendable position. "Identify yourself!" she barked. "Who dares strike down a Knight of the Round!?"

"So… you're the one?" Kallen stated through the voice speaker of her Guren. "You're one of the Knights of the Round? The best of the best of Britannia?"

When the dust finally cleared up, Monica's eyes suddenly widened upon seeing the enemy frame. "That Knightmare!?" she gasped in shock but quickly recomposed herself knowing now that she faced against a worthy opponent. "So I see… you're the Devil's Right Hand. The Ace of the Black Knights. The Guren…"

"That's right… and you should know that this battle was inevitable! So let's even up the odds!"

"I wouldn't want it any other way!" Monica then twirled her lance around preparing herself for a fight of her life. "If I take you down, then the Black Knights will surely crumble! Your life will become a trophy in my honor!"

Kallen grinned and she spoke in a soft said voice just barely above a whisper. "I'd like to see you try… blondie…"

"Kallen!" Ohgi's voice came through the radio.

"Ohgi?" she grunted. "You guys stay out of this! This is my duel!"

"Kallen, don't be a fool! This one took out our entire defense unit, there's no way you can match against it on one on one combat! You need support!"

"Don't underestimate me!" she bellowed out. The moment she heard those words from Kallen she began to think that what C2 said was true. There were still a few people who thought that she still wasn't worthy of becoming Zero's Elite Guard. That she was still too weak to face an opponent so strong. "Zero didn't put me here just for show! I'll show you that I can take on a first class soldier like this little Sunny Day! HAAAAAA!!!" she lung herself right onto Monica's frame trying to get her within the range of her Right Arm.

But Monica simply blocked it with her lance and moved out to get herself some distance between her and the Guren. "And don't underestimate me either" she responded with a loud yell. "You will find me a harder hunter turn prey!" on the outside, Monica was keeping herself calm and cool like she always did in a professional manner. But on the inside, every alarm in her was going off as she continued her relentless battles against the Guren. She had already spent most of her stamina fighting against the Black Knights and to face the Ace of Zero here of all places would be bad for her health. _"If what I heard about the Guren is true, then its primary weapon will probably be that right arm, the Radiant Wave Surger. But what it lacks are medium-long range weapons. So as long as I keep my distance, I should be safe from it!"_

"Take this!" again Kallen threw out her right arm just inching away from the cockpit of the enemy Sutherland. "Damn it! She's fast. But let's see if you got some moves!"

Monica moved out of the way of the Guren and saw a chance to a blind attack it with her lance. "Why don't you shoved this on your side!?" but Kallen was fast as well, grabbing the lance by the tip just before it reached her face. "What the!?" the red head then activated the Radiant Wave Surger, causing the weapon to bubble and boil like it was put inside a microwave. "No way!" Monica saw this and quickly backed off before the effect went to her arm. "So it's true. You really are the Devil's Right Hand. I guess Elevens have pilots with skill too"

"Don't underestimate me just because I'm Japanese!!!" the lance then exploded and the area around the Guren turned into a sea of fire. _"Come on Kallen, pull it together! Losing against that Lancelot is one thing but if you can't even beat one lousy pilot then how will you ever be able to face Zero again!?" _she was covered by the blind rage of loyalty and desperation to defeat her opponent. So without even thinking she rushed right towards the enemy with her right hand in tow.

"You barbarian!" Monica leaped towards the side of a strong skyscraper and used her Slash Harken to cling herself to it. With a strong surface, she began firing her assault rifle at the Guren. "As long as I keep my distance, you can't do a thing to me!"

"Just because you have the advantage in height doesn't make you any better!" Kallen fired two rounds of her grenade launcher at the building in an attempt to shake her out, but it was useless. "Tch! If that's how you want it then fine by me!" she then launch her own single chest Slash Harken next to Monica's position and propelled herself to her level which surprised her. "Bring it on Britannian!"

"Tch! Persistent, aren't you!?" Monica growled. "Even so. You still can't reach me from that position!" she then fired off her last clip of bullets onto the Guren. "Take this!" but then to her surprise, Kallen simply used her Radiant Wave Surger to deflect the bullets and use it again to propel herself from the building and right next to the girl's Sutherland. "What!? She deflected it!? What kind of arm is that!? (Twang) That move… it's impossible! She can't be human!"

"You have no weapons!" Kallen barked out. "This is your end!"

"Tch! You won't get me with such cheap shots! Keep your filthy hands off me, witch!!"

"Why don't you just hold still so I can kill you!?"

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Down below, Tamaki was twitching his eye as he was looking upon a very familiar scene when he was still a little boy. As he saw the two Knightmares trying to claw each other's eyes out he couldn't help but put the walkie talkie up his mouth and blurt out. "H… hey Ohgi… what the hell is going on man? I feel like I'm watching a movie back in my childhood days!"

"W… what do you mean?" Ohgi inquired.

"I don't know to explain it properly… but it looks like there are two King Kongs are fighting on gets to climb atop the Empire State Building!"

**(Osaka Frontlines)**

"All units move forward!" Tohdoh yelled out to the top of his lungs ordering his gathered soldiers. "Don't give the enemy any time to breathe! They're numbers are dwindling by the minute! As long as we hold fast we can win!"

"Yeah!!!" the Black Knights yelled out in unison.

"Lt. Colonel" Senba called in. "We cleared the Nishi district and we've found several abandoned enemy Knightmares among the scattered bases"

"Good" the man nodded. "Urabe, Asahina, you two advance towards the Nanina and Fukushima district. Tell the troops inside Osaka castle to come out and join us. The remaining forces of the JLF will strike from the rear and join up with us. We'll pincer the enemy on both sides and trap them at the river banks! With their fleet sunk they will only have two choices to make! To be annihilated completely or surrender under our terms!"

"Yes sir!" the two pilots nodded before heading off with the rest of the troops.

"Colonel" Chiba called out from her radio. "I've just been informed that the Onimaru resistance force have joined up with the JLF and are mounting a minor resistance on the castle wall"

"Excellent. As long as we continue on this road the enemy will have no other choice but to fall back towards the shorelines" Tohdoh let out a small smile come up his lips. "What's the status of the Tokyo settlement? Is Zero holding out or does he need support? We can spare a couple of our troops to aid him if he needs it"

"No sir. It seems like he's doing fine on his own" Chiba responded. "With the aid of the honorary Britannians, he had made a fine mess of things there"

**(Tokyo settlement) (Babel tower)**

Elie continued his barrage of fire along with the Black Knights against the large Britannian army that approached them. He was actually kind of amazed on how many units that Calares brought with him. As he saw blip after blip vanish from the map he knew that the enemy's numbers would only grow. "Geh! Damn this! Calares sure isn't pulling any punches! He's really out to get Zero!" he looked behind him and saw three of his comrades pull out from their cockpits as their units became FUBAR (check wikipedia for this word). "But still. If he wants to get him then he'll have to go through me!" he rushed out of the defensive area to meet the enemy head on. And when he made it to one of the ruined buildings, he decided to make it their grave. "Burn for me!" he used his flamethrower to torch the place to dust leveling the building in the process.

"Mon suer Elie" came one of the Frenchmen. "We've got a contact from your leader, Zero. He is requesting all units to withdraw from the city"

"What? Withdraw?" Elie looked back puzzled. "But we're not done yet! We can still fight them!"

"I do not know my friend" he replied in his French accent. "I am simply a messenger. But… I do not follow orders from Zero. The only person, who we follow, is you my lord. Tell us to stay and fight and we shall"

"Heh… you guys haven't changed a bit since three years" Elie smirked. "But nonetheless, orders are orders. We'll fall back for now. Follow the retreat path that Zero provided us but don't go in groups. Francois, you'll stay with me and provide cover for the others"

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else my liege"

"Right then! All units fall back!" Elie ordered out. "The Britannians outnumber us here! Retreat! Don't try to flee into the government bureau or you'll be cornered. Those who lost their Knightmares are to join in with the vehicles. Medical trucks and APCs will get you out of here. Francois, with me!"

"Yes my lord! These Britannians will know once again to fear the wrath of the Frenchmen!"

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As Calares's fleet slowly entered the designated area that Zero had prepared. He couldn't help but grin even wider if that was even humanly possible. "Calares… you fell for my trap easier than I had anticipated. How you became a General of such a vast army will probably remain a question forever, but nonetheless you still are a vicious man, a parasite that needs to be removed if this world is to again begin in a clean slate"

"Master Zero" a soldier came onto screen saluting to Zero's frame. "Elie's unit has successfully withdrawn from the battlefield. Mori and the others will be joining with him soon"

"Excellent. Then our plan is in full motion" Zero waved him off. "All forces are to withdraw! C2, guide everyone to their positions around the city. Diethard, no matter what happens, you are to remain there. Do not allow anything to happen to Kaguya or the communication array. The government bureau's automated defenses should be able to deal with any interlopers so hold on until then"

"With great pleasure Zero" Diethard replied with a proud smile on his face.

"Also… make sure to broadcast my retreat order to everyone else"

"Huh?" Diethard made a face. "But won't that create a misunderstanding?"

"Yes it will. And it will also put my own soldiers to the test"

Diethard then understood what the man meant. "Heh… I see. A loyalty test huh? Understood I'll make sure to give it to everyone and leak out the information carefully"

"Good. I'm grateful" Zero then turned his frame to his other soldiers. "All units! Withdraw now! Retreat! Formation doesn't matter, just get out of the Tokyo settlement as fast as you can!"

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When Calares saw the Black Knights on the map began to withdraw from Babel tower, he immediately began to grow a small grin around his face. "Hehehe… yes. They're chickening out I see. I should've known that Zero was nothing more but hot air. Amass our remaining force around Babel tower! We'll use this place as our base of operation and assault the government bureau with everything that we've got!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"_With this… my victory is assured"_

As the aerial fleet of Britannian continued to bombard the city with its arsenal of weapons and missiles, more Knightmares began to deploy around Babel tower. "Right! Position our fleet just right around this area! What about our contacts with the media crew back in the homeland!?"

"They're broadcasting the footage right now sir" the soldier replied. "We've linked more than a hundred cameras and its being broadcast throughout the world as we speak. Should I have them cut the feed?"

"No! Keep it running! With this victory in my grasp, the title of Viceroy is surely to be mine!"

"Y… yes sir…"

**(Kanagawa frontlines)**

The battle between the Guren and the yellow Sutherland was perhaps anything BUT proper. As the war raged on at Kanagawa, the fight between the two female warriors was perhaps the most intense among all of them. Every trick in the book was used on that battle and it didn't matter if it was a cheap shot or dishonorable, survival of the fittest out-ruled all laws of war. There was no need for chivalry or honor on the battlefield… only strength and cunning. And these two ladies knew that well for both of them were desperate for their own victory.

Though the battle looked like a fight between two Godzillas fighting over the city, in truth it was actually nothing more but a squabble between two girls who had reasons to achieve victory. One was fighting for the honor of her emperor and her countrymen and her mission while another was fighting for she had to prove herself.

"I got you now!!!" Kallen yelled out to the top of her lungs as she threw her Guren's right arm at her opponent. And thanks to Monica being cornered at a small department store, she was able to grab onto her left hand with relative ease. "Say good night Sunny Day!!"

"Not yet!" Monica ejected her Sutherland's arm away and decided to take a lucky shot with her only remaining Slash Harken. "This is for my emperor!" and the blow hit directly at the Guren's Radiant Wave Surger arm creating a small flux of electricity through it.

"What!? No way! My Radiant Wave Surger!" and with the malfunction done, the arm exploded causing many of the Guren's functions to go haywire. "No not yet! Come on Guren, you can't give in just yet! I can still fight!" using the remaining ammo in her grenade launcher, Kallen toppled down a building onto the Knight of Twelve, crushing its head in the process. "How'd you like that!?"

"Great… no head and one arm" Monica grunted as she saw her radar system going berserk. "My radar is gone… so I guess I'll have to rely on pure instinct. But still… that pilot…" she looked to the direction where Kallen was crouching on. "Her fighting style is incredible and her willpower is extraordinary. But why? Why is she fighting like this? What reason could possibly move her to fight like such a beast? The only people I've seen fighting this wildly are Bismarck and Luciano. Could it be that she really is just as good as the Knights of the Round? Tch… nonetheless… I will defeat you here and now!"

"Don't underestimate the Guren!!!" again the two Knightmares clashed at the center of the battlefield. Both of them with only one arm and no weapons were now on equal footing with one another. "Even with just one arm, this will be plenty enough to defeat you!"

"Give it your best shot!"

"HAAAAA!!" they yelled out in unison, all the while clashing their arms and legs like a bare fistfight between two giants. If one were to look at this battle, they would see as nothing more but a squabble between two school girls fighting for the last pair of Shoes that was on sale.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But on the G-1 fortress, Ohgi and the others seemed to have received a very disturbing news about Zero's retreat order in Tokyo. "WHAT!?" Ohgi yelled out. "Zero's abandoning Tokyo?"

"Yes sir" the com staff nodded. "Apparently he withdrew about ten minutes ago"

"That'll be trouble for us!" Inoue gasped. "If Zero does withdraw and Tokyo is retaken by the Britannians, our rear will be exposed to the enemy. We'll be facing a two sided battle"

"But why would Zero abandon us at a time like this!?"

"It makes no sense!"

"Has he lost faith!?"

"Hey you jerks be quiet!!!" Tamaki roared out suddenly which seemed to have surprised everyone in the bridge. He was wounded but he was still in a condition to throw a tantrum. "This is Zero for crying out loud! I'm his best friend and I know that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize us! We all acknowledged him as our leader and if you think for a second about abandoning this place then you'll have to go through me!" he bellowed to one of the com officers. "When we joined the Black Knights all of us here had only two choices to make: You can either live with Zero… or die with Zero!"

"Tamaki…" Minami was in shock to actually see his red haired friend actually talking sense into the soldiers.

"So don't be spreading out that crap thinking that you know Zero! He's the man we followed and I'm gonna follow him to the very end you got that!! Now get back to work and don't even think about telling the others what you've told me or I'll string you guys up myself! Ohgi!"

"Y… yeah?" Ohgi stuttered.

"We've acknowledged Zero as our leader, so show some backbone man and lead these guys! We've got ourselves a battle to win!"

Ohgi paused for a moment as if taken back from Tamaki's our-roar. But as the information sank into his head he quickly dismissed the thought abandoning his post. "He's right everyone" he said finally. "Zero placed his trust in us in holding this area… so we must put our trust in him as well. Advance all troops to the enemy! Have the G-1 strike from the rear and our reserve force provide as support! All hands move out!"

**(Osaka)**

"What!? Zero abandoned Tokyo!?" Asahina yelled out as news of Zero's withdrawal came to ear. "What the hell does he think he's doing!?"

"I don't know, that's just what they reported" Urabe replied looking with the same dumbfounded expression on his face. "They say that Zero has ordered a full scale retreat from Tokyo"

Chiba gritted her teeth. "If that's the case then we have to withdraw back to Tokyo immediately!"

"Ignore that order!" Tohdoh snapped at them. "Our task is to defend Osaka no matter what the cost! We stay here and finish our job until it is done!"

"But sir!" Chiba countered. "If the Britannians retake Tokyo then the whole battle is lost. We'll loss everything!"

"I have faith in Zero. He would never abandon his post without a good reason!" Kyoshiro motioned as he knew well that Zero wasn't the kind of man who would surrender easily to Britannia. "I know him. He wouldn't abandon his own soldiers! Everyone is to move forward and no one stops until we win!"

"But colonel!" Asahina groaned.

"That is an order, soldier!" Tohdoh was now pointing his own gun at him which made the Four Holy Swords tremble. "When I decided to follow Zero I made my vow to follow his orders as a soldier of Japan. I know deep in my heart that he will pull through for us and he will…"

"But why…?" Chiba questioned inside her Gekka. "Why would you follow a person who only sees his soldiers as pawns!!?"

Tohdoh paused and took a deep breathe into his lungs as the words formed around his mouth. He did not know why… but for some reason he knew that Zero was indeed the man who was destined to liberate them. It was either out of pure conscious or just plain old faithfulness. He could not tell.

"It's because I believe…" he said finally. "Don't ask me why… because I probably don't have an answer for that right now. All that I know is that we need his skill right now… more than ever. And so… I will believe…

"But sir!" Chiba ruled out. "If we follow him with blind faith alone then he'll get us killed! I thought we were doing this for Japan!"

"This is more than just Japan now!" the colonel replied. "Just because we liberated our own country, do you truly think we can hold it on our own!? Don't be naïve! The whole world is watching and if we breakdown now then everything that we've done until now will be for nothing!"

"Kyoshiro!" Chiba moved her handheld assault rifle of her Gekka at him. "Are you saying that you no longer care about Japan!?"

"I care for Japan just as much as any of you!" he replied not dropping his weapon for a second. "But… to simply stand idly while others suffer…… that's just plain disgraceful!"

"Tohdoh!"

But before Tohdoh could add anything more he noticed a Britannian Sutherland firing a barrage of missiles at Chiba's direction. "Look out!" he tackled her Knightmare down and took the full blow of the missiles head on losing his sword-arm in the process. "Geh!"

"Lt. Colonel!" Senba motioned and returned fire at the enemy destroying it completely with his gun. "Blasted Britannians!"

Tohdoh saw his men charge at the Britannian forces but saw that they were still young. Too immature to understand the big picture of the world. _"Zero… I believe… in you…"_

**(Outskirts of Tokyo)**

The forces of Zero that withdrew from Tokyo waited patiently behind the thick forest of the city's outskirts. Zero himself stood upon his Knightmare along with C2 gazing peacefully at the view before him at the same time ignoring the cries and groans of pain coming from the medical camp they have set up earlier. Out of the hundred Knightmares that he was able to take from the enemy numbers only about 30 of them returned in good fighting condition. Another 12 or 15 were damaged and some were already beyond commission when they arrived on sight.

When they saw Calares's fleet made port next to Babel tower, C2 could only watch as Zero looked upon the sky. There were only a few people who held dearly onto hope now and Zero was about to make them see… that even the mightiest of beasts are not invincible.

A few moments later, the Blue Baron's Knightmare arrived and knelt before Zero with a gesturing bow. "Zero, I've arranged the troops just as you asked. All forces are stationed near the outskirts"

"Excellent"

"Umm… I'm not questioning your authority or anything Zero. But would you mind telling me why we've retreated all the way out here?" Elie asked hoping to get some answers of their recent actions. "We've only got a handful of long ranged weapons so it'll be almost impossible for us to do any damage on the aerial fleet"

"Leave the aerial carrier to me" Zero answered him with a plain gesture of his hand. "Your targets will be the Knightmares below them"

"Uh… ok then, if you say so. I'll rejoin with the others then" the boy nodded and quickly left the scene.

C2 saw his movement and couldn't help but quirk a small brow up her head. "He's surprisingly loyal for a Britannian soldier. Even after killing his old comrades in arms he doesn't seem to be all that panicked like the others"

"Even though he's just as young as I am he's an experienced soldier" Zero replied. "He knows that in wars: no sides will ever go without losses. He must've gotten used to losing friends and families on the battlefield that it became another emotion in him. He has great use as well… and he lives up to his title as the Blue Baron. The flamethrower adds a nice touch to the battlefield"

"So do you plan to dispose him once this battle is over?"

"No. He still has some use in making the honorary Britannians fight for my side and he is extremely talented in tactical thinking and Knightmare combat. If I groom him to my side then I can make myself an exemplary soldier"

"Your disciple?" C2 smirked.

"Call it… an apprentice… if you will" Zero was then broken out of his conversation when Diethard motioned in through the radio. "What is it Diethard?"

"Zero, I've broadcast your retreat order to every Black Knight channel and it seems to have made a mess of things" the man reported. "Ohgi and the others in Kanagawa doesn't seem to be affected by it but the Four Holy Swords in Osaka seems to have been affected by it"

"So Tohdoh doesn't believe in me? How disappointing"

"Oh no, Tohdoh is doing fine" Diethard corrected waving his hands up. "It's just his subordinates who aren't getting along. I know that this is to test the loyalty of the soldiers but I think this charade has gone long enough"

Zero let out a small sigh and nodded back. "Very well. How is Calares? Is he making his big debut?"

Diethard smiled. "Yes. His live feed should be on at any moment now. I have tracked the signal just as you ordered. We'll be ready for a show in about three minutes"

"Very good then… let's begin… the freedom of Japan!"

"And what do you plan to do?" C2 inquired trying to get a feel for his plan. "Even if you do kill Calares, the enemy will still…"

"C2…" Zero cut her off. "Do you believe that a countrywide Geass is possible? (Huh?) That's right. I am about to use a Geass so powerful that it will affect every Japanese in the country… hehehe… and to think that I didn't have to use my eye for this situation"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Calares spared no time at all for his army to take over Babel tower. In just a few minutes his entire regiment garrisoned the entire building and hastily made it into a firebase in which they would use to siege the government bureau and level its defenses to the ground.

"General Calares, sir" one of the staff officers called him through the radio. "Broadcasting signal is clear. The whole empire can see everything from the main screen"

"Excellent…" Calares grinned. "This fire and carnage will burn away the needless waste to make room for the time of Ferdinand Calares.

"Commander, we're getting a message from an unknown channel"

"Who is it?" Calares asked a little annoyed on someone interrupting his gloating. But he got his answer when the main screen changed and showed the face Zero himself. "What the!? Oh it's you…" Calares beckoned a grin. "Let me guess… you must be the one they call… Zero… am I right?"

"That is correct" Zero answered in his usual calm charismatic voice. "And you must be…… General Calares I presume. My opponent for this match?"

"That's correct, so I assume you came here to surrender?"

"Half correct General. Indeed I am looking for a surrender, but know that I am asking yours and not my own" this of course made the officers inside the carrier look a bit confuse to his terms.

But Calares simply laughed. "HA! Aren't you the funny type? Refusing to submit till the very end and run with your tails between your legs. Common tactics for a coward don't you think? (Pause) You simply didn't have the strength to fight me head on so you resulted in fogs and trickeries. But even with that you still couldn't defeat me. With the empire at my side I will be granted victory where ever I go!"

"How stagnate" Zero spat. "A commander who relies on strength rather than tactics, who throw away the lives of others willingly without second thoughts and even, expend the resources of his own army without thinking"

"That's just how things work" Calares smirked. "You cannot change the world through lies and deceit. Only those who are powerful can be the ones who can change this world"

"And that is where you are wrong, General Calares" Zero motioned. "Although I have to admit that you are indeed a Britannian who follows the code of the empire. A place where only the strongest can survive. Though vengeful… it's still a web its own lies. Through strength alone you will continue to destroy until there is nothing left"

"You just don't have the guts to submit to your own defeat! This conversation is pointless and you do realize that we are broadcasting this to the entire world. You should know better than to challenge the might of the empire, Boy!"

"How naïve…" Zero looked down at his as if disappointed at him. "A General who thinks that he had already won just because he can no longer see his enemies. How you became a commander of such a vast army escapes my comprehension. But even so…… a man who abuses his own power against the weak for his own gain will not be tolerated under my watch! You are a stain on this world Ferdinand Calares…… a stain that must be remove… therefore… this is my conclusion. I give you… your end…" he showed them a small device which looked like a button of some sort.

"That's…" and right before Calares knew it, the railway system that run around the city of Tokyo began to activate a large number of Gefjun Disturber which quickly halted every Sakuradite-powered machine within the city itself. "What the!? What's going on!?" a few seconds later, screen after screen of computers began to shutdown systematically like clockwork. "Somebody tell me what's happening right now or I'll…"

Zero laughed at the man's flatly as the screen itself began to go hazy and static. But before the transmission was cut off he left out one last remark. "Goodbye, General Calares…" and with that the feed was cut leaving one angry man on his seat gritting his teeth like sawmills.

"Zero!!!! You'll pay for this, I swear!! Give me a report dammit!"

"Y… yes sir" the soldier replied. "It seems that all of our Knightmares in the area have been disabled by a large Gefjun Disturber that has been set all around the Tokyo settlement. Our aerial fleet have been immobilized as well but since our stabilizers don't use Sakuradite we should be able to maintain our altitude for now"

"Have our division split up and destroy those accursed machines! I'll have Zero's head on a pike when this is all… (BOOM!!!!) What the hell is happening now!?"

"General! Babel tower… it's… shhhh…" the com went dead with static when another explosion occurred inside the building itself.

The aerial carrier rumbled and shook as if it was caught in a storm. The guns on each side of the bridge broke off and whatever was left of the troops inside Babel tower was all but wiped out. "Damn! A suicide attack!!!" Calares barked in furious anger. "Uncivilized monkeys!!!"

"My lord! All defense units lost!"

"Contact lost with squad Amillio!"

"Level 12-40 have been decimated with explosives!"

"Chopper five, you're too far in, pull out of there…(Boom!) Damn it! This is hopeless, let's get out of here!"

"Evacuate the tower! Take the stairway!"

"This is Charlie team, we're climbing out. Rescue operations will have to wait!"

"There's massive explosives planted at the base!"

"The tower! It's… it's falling!"

When Calares turned to one of the windows of his ship, his eyes opened up so widely that it was amazing that his pupils didn't come out and rolled on the floor. "No… it can't be! He planned this! Zero, that scum! He planned this from the start! Helm, get us out of here!"

"It's no good! The ship won't move!!"

"No, it can't be? WAHHHH!!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the tower fell over the ship that Calares and his staff officer were stationed, Elie saw this as an opportunity to strike the enemy with maneuver. He tried his best to ignore the sudden miracle that Zero had pulled out any rally his remaining troops for one last strike. "Alright everyone! Listen up! These are Zero's orders! All long ranged weapons, direct all your firepower at the enemy formation around Babel tower! But try not to get too close to the city or you'll be caught in the web too. Level the entire district to the ground and the Britannians with it!" the soldiers hutted and quickly aimed their weapons at the designated direction. "Ready and… fire!!!!"

The Britannian troops that were able to scarcely survive the massacre of Babel tower were quickly put to their abrupt end when they saw large cannon shells rained from the sky. Barely without a moment's breath were they soon rained with the smoke and fires of death. They screamed and cried out for mercy but their voices were only silenced by the whistles of guns and the loud noises of explosions.

After about ten minutes of endless bombing, Elie quickly ordered a ceasefire as he knew that the enemy had already lost all nerve of battle. If the killing continues then it would only become a one-sided massacre. "All troops cease fire. The enemy is signaling a surrender beacon. There's no point in killing those that has no will to fight. Cease fire at once"

"Yes mon suer Elie" the French commander nodded. "All units, hold fire monami. There is no more point in shooting bullets"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back inside the government bureau, Kaguya squinted her eyes as the emergency power generator came to activate inside the command center. "Oh my… this is…"

"Incredible!" Diethard cut her off with his own booming voice. "I see now. Using himself as bait to draw the Britannians to Babel tower and then using a large quantity of Gefjun Disturbers to disable their entire fighting force. Afterwards, destroy their entire fleet in one single blow! Ha! Brilliant! Simply astoundingly brilliant!"

"This is it…" Diethard turned his head to the girl who spoke up. "This is the time that Zero mentioned about. Diethard"

The man nodded and quickly began working on the console he was sitting on. "Right. One moment" he then quickly pulled out a small prehistoric device which looked a lot like a giant radio speaker. "This is a stereo cassette player I found back in the media center" he explained. "It's an antique piece of equipment but it should be able to play that tape. I had it connected through the speakers and thanks to Calares's world wide broadcast, I can transmit it everyone in the world. The battery size is quite limited so make sure you put it correctly"

"Right then…" Kaguya held the small cassette tape onto her chest and gulped down a chunk of her own saliva. Every single drop of blood in her veins was now pumping and even though her task was simple, it still felt very strange. Like her own body was reacting to Zero's words like clockwork. When she placed the tape in the device, she pressed the play button and allowed the film to roll.

Both Diethard and herself was anxious to know what was in this tape. Could it be another one of Zero's awe-inspiring speeches? A hypnotizing spell to compel everyone to follow him? Or could it be some sort of message that relayed his next order? No one knew.

And just when the first note finally came through the speaker, every ear inside the government bureau perked to listen.

A/N: Please play the Japanese national anthem: May Your Reign Last Forever. (Lovely song)

"Huh?" Kaguya's eyes widened. "This song… it can't be…"

**(Safe Zone VIP sector) (Previously known as the Japan Special Zone)**

Taizo's ears perked up suddenly when he heard something peculiar coming from the room where the members of the Six Houses of Kyoto were staying for the night. When he recognized the tune and the voice he almost immediately stood up and switched off the record player.

"What's wrong Kirihara?"

"Shhh!" he shushed them. "Listen…… this song is……" when the noise coming from the stereo outside became louder, every member of the Kyoto group quickly stood up in shock of what they were hearing. "This song is… yes… I remember now. From that time five years ago. The song of our people… our history…" the old man's eyes began to well up in tears and he allowed them to flow freely as he had not felt such happiness for such a long time. _"Lelouch… you really do know how to make an old man smile again… is this also part of your plan?"_

**(Osaka frontlines)**

Tohdoh paused for a moment as the song made it through his ear. "What…… this song… it's…"

"Isn't this… our song?" Asahina quirked an eyebrow to his computer. He then quickly turn up the volume and listened to it intently.

"But that's impossible" Senba stuttered. "I heard that the Britannians wiped out all trace of this song from the net. Every record found were immediately destroyed"

"But it has to be" Urabe spoke next to him. "There's no song like it…"

"Then that means…" Chiba motioned to her commander. "Zero is…"

When the tone of the song rung into Tohdoh's ears, every senses in his heart and mind began building in as if someone had just turned on a switch that hasn't been touched for many years. "ALL FORCES!" Tohdoh moved up suddenly from his wounded position. He had to resist the urge to cry out that moment but the tears just wouldn't stop pouring from his eyes. It was as if just hearing that song from seven years ago made a deep subconscious inside his head click. Even though his Knightmare was missing an arm he still had his sword to wield. "Advance on the enemy grounds now! Force them to surrender one way or another! Show them what it truly means to hold the honor of Japan!"

"But Colonel, your wound"

"Save your words for later" he barked back with a now determined tone. "Do you expect me to run away while my men do all the fighting!? Don't make me laugh! We march onto the enemy's main base! It's now or never!!"

"Yes sir!"

**(Kanagawa frontlines)**

Ohgi and his men were also baffled. The song in which their country was built upon was now replaying in their ears like a ghost that had returned from the past to haunt the present.

"No way…" Minami was the first to break out of the trance. "This song is…"

"I remember…" Tamaki was next to break from the freeze and to everyone's surprise, he was actually crying in front of everyone. "I remember this song. I used to sing it in school when I was still a kid. I remember hearing it on TV and on the radio…… I never thought that I would hear it… here of all places (sob)"

"The Japanese National Anthem" Ohgi said finally. "The song of our people. Our countrymen" he let a sniff sound come through his nose before finally issuing an order. "Zero…… this has your name written all over it. Everyone! Attack now! Move the G-1 fortress ahead of the army and have the others and whatever's left of our troops move in behind. We'll ram this thing through their defenses and breakthrough even if it's the last thing we do! Forward!"

"Roger!" Sugiyama nodded. "All hands, battlestation!!"

"Yes sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If anyone would see the docks of the city that evening and compared with a photo they took this morning they would immediately think that some natural disaster like a typhoon or an earthquake took place here. The warehouses that were used to store goods were all but destroyed, the boats that were lined up by the shoreline all in flames and even the tiniest roads were ruined beyond recognition. But of course… to cause of the destruction was not of the battle between Britannia and the Black Knights. In fact… it took only two girls and two Knightmares to create such chaos.

"GEHHHAHHHHH!!!!" that was Kallen yelling out once again as she ran her Guren against Monica's yellow Sutherland through the wall of an old department store. Even after both sides had taken on so much damage neither of them looked like they were gonna yield. Both of them only had one arm left and both sides had taken substantial amount of damage. It was like a child's bicker if one would see it through. When both sides lost their guns they resulted into using their swords and when their swords were gone they went straight into hand to hand combat.

"Persistent little minx!!" Monica yelled out to, throwing her arm out and landing another blow at the Guren. "Just what the hell are you fighting for!!?"

"I fight for the future of Japan!"

"You still hold on to a country that fell seven years ago!?"

"Japan never fell! It simply slept and when you push a country and its people too far, this is the result!" Kallen then traded a blow with the Knight of Twelve, rattling her cockpit violently. "In Zero's name…… die!!!"

"Not yet!" in one last desperate move, Monica used her accurate targeting skills to punch right through the Guren's last remaining arm, thereby destroying it in the process. "Geh! How's that, Eleven? You can never hope to match against a Knight of the Round in Knightmare combat!" with her opponent now literally disarmed on both sides, Monica began flurrying punches right at Kallen hitting her on every spot. In time, the head and the Slash Harken that remained was destroyed.

"No! This can't be happening! I can't lose!" Kallen pleaded as tears began to run down her eyes. Her fear of death slowly creeping back to her mind. She tried to get the Guren back up but without any arms it became somewhat difficult. But then just when she thought that she could still fight, her opponent, Monica pointed a silver lance at her which she was able to salvage from the battlefield. "N… no…"

"I praise you, Eleven" Monica gave out one remark as she placed the cross she had around her neck up to her lips in a soft prayer. "Your talents with Knightmares are impressive. If you were born as a Britannian, you would've made an excellent soldier… perhaps you would even make it to the Knights of the Round if your ambition was high enough. But alas… your death is needed if I am to succeed in my mission. Good bye… Soldier of the Black Knights…"

"No…" Kallen gasped. "Naoto… mother…" as she closed her eyes to the imminent death, Kallen saw the face of her brother and her mother flash before her in the form of a bright light. Her tears begged for them to take her into their arms. She wanted to feel the warmth again… the warmth of a family that she had lost because of this resistance. She then saw her brother extending his hand as if asking her to reach for it. Kallen gladly did so, but before her fingers could reach it, she noticed another figure behind Naoto's face.

It was Zero…

His faceless mask looked down on her and his oversized cape was easy to recognize. If he was to walk in the city alone, he would probably standout so much that even the children would notice him in a glance. But at the same time he appeared… he extended his hand and asked her to reach it just as Naoto did. Kallen was baffled with the two choices she had. Who was she to pick? The hand of her brother of the hand of a stranger?

Her mind was confused.

It was as if god himself was telling her to decide. To die now and be with her long lost brother or stay alive with the man she admired and has come to love.

With her mind made up she finally broke a frown and swallowed her tears in. She pushed Naoto's frail image away and hastily grab Zero's hand before it vanished.

"NO!!" the red head finally snapped out of her doomed expression. "You lousy stinking Britannian!!!" she used the Guren's legs to quickly trip Monica off her balance. "You're wrong! I am Kallen Kouzuki, the pilot of the Guren, the captain of the Zero Squad, the Ace of the Black Knights and Zero's Elite Guard! If you think for a second that I'm gonna allow a bitch from Britannia to take my head then think again! Because I… I am… I am Q-1 and that trumps your title any day!" and with a move that would've make the gods stand from their seat in the mighty heaven above, Kallen charged in knowing well that none of her arms were usable anymore.

"Head on!?" Monica raised a brow as she raised her lance for one last blow. "You spit on my name as a Knight!"

But to her surprise, Kallen immediately use her head as a battering ram against Monica. She dodged the blow of the lance just by a millisecond and pierce through the cockpit of the Sutherland cutting all of its functions to a halt.

"What! That's just impossible! How can she still move when… (beep beep beep) Wha!? The auto eject!? No, don't!" but it was too late for the girl. Before she could even reach for the override button the pod was forcefully thrust off from the Knightmare and unfortunate for her, her pod was slammed onto a building and thanks to that impact… she was knock unconscious.

When the dust of battle finally settled, Kallen could only stare in amazement of her own abilities. But even though on the outside she appeared calm and shocked at the same time, inside her body was molding itself, trying to adapt to the sensation that was slowly building at the deepest part of her gut.

She had done it. She had defeated one of the Knights of the Round, the finest warriors in all of Britannia. An Eleven… who surpassed her own rulers.

But she did not realize that her energy filler had already ran out when her computer screen began to go dark. So she had to ignore the urge to celebrate for she had to make sure that her opponent was down for the count.

She quickly pulled out of her Guren and left it where it stood, took out a pistol from her holster and slowly made her way towards the ejected seat of the Knight whom she had just defeated. She saw the body of the Knight of Twelve and hastily compared it with the image picture she was able to get from the net. Once she had confirmed it, she took out her communicator and contact Ohgi.

"Ohgi… this is Kallen…" she spoke up in a soft voice not taking her eyes or her pistol off the blonde haired girl. "I've apprehended the Knight of Twelve. Requesting pickup at my location"

"Hear me Britannia!!" the Ace of the Black Knights paused as she heard Zero's voice echoing through the city. "This is Zero, a rebel against oppressors who abuse their power. Your commander, General Ferdinand Calares is dead. Your fleets crushed at the bottom of the bay, your army scattered and disorganized. As I said before, I will not repudiate battle on a fair and level field, but neither will I tolerate… a one sided massacre of the weak by the strong. So if any of you still hold the value of your lives, you will turn down your weapons and surrender. I swear in my name that all who do so will be treated equally and without prejudice. So… you have but one hour to do so… if you do not… then I cannot guarantee your safety. All Black Knights will low down their weapons as well against all Britannian who surrender and those who does not heed this order will be punished by me personally"

"Zero…"

"So I ask you now Britannia and all those who serve under you: Will you come out peacefully… or will you perish under the might of the Black Knights?"

**(Tokyo Settlement) (Government Bureau detention center)**

Suzaku Kururugi awoke from his depressed mind state when the sound of a familiar song rang into his ear. He was waiting peacefully in his cell and savored all the peace he could find in this madness… for he knew by the time the door to his cell opened, will be the time of his execution. Cornelia and her Knight Guilford were put in a separate cell and the scientists who worked on the Lancelot were kept on a cell beside him.

"Hmm… looks like I was right after all" Lloyd Asplund stated as he saw the destruction of the Britannian aerial fleet. "Without a countermeasure for the Gefjun Disturber, their entire fleet becomes immobilize and that destruction was spot on. Nicely played Mr. Zero. My kudos to you. If you had been on the side of Britannia then the whole world would've been ours already"

"You're cheering for the enemy, Lloyd?" Cecile Croomy remarked.

"I'm a scientist" he replied with his usual care free tone. "Big brainers like us don't really give a hoot which side we're on. As long as we keep getting results it's fine even if a thousand people should lose their lives"

"Lloyd!"

"Oh save it. It's not like I'm going anywhere so you can chatter me all you want. Why bother with a cell I wonder"

"Do you think they'll execute us?"

"That's a possibility" he shrugged. "We are the ones who developed Lancelot after all and if I sum it altogether, we're probably the ones who hindered that man's plans the most. But if Zero is the man I think he is, then he'll probably ask us to join him to develop a better model which can rival the Lancelot. I also have a good feeling that Suzaku will be publicly executed, now that he had shown to the Elevens that he was the one who mortally wounded their beloved leader"

"But that's just wrong…"

"Ironic isn't it?" Lloyd let out a small chuckling laugh. "Zero was the one who saved his life on his big opening at the bridge five months ago and now he'll be the one to kill him. Oh the sad irony of this illusion that we call life" but he was quickly brought out of his humored expression when he noticed a small figure walking pass his cell. "Eh?"

"Hello again… Suzaku Kururugi" a boy whose hair was longer than his body stood in front of the traitor's cell wearing a Britannian royal garb. "It's a shame to meet you in a place like this…"

"You're…" Lloyd and Cecile heard the boy in the cell next door spoke up. "You're V2…"

"That's correct. And here I thought that you would be strong enough to take on Zero…" the long blonde haired boy known as V2 replied with a smirk crossing his lips.

"Did you come all the way here to gloat at me?"

"Of course not" he smiled. "I came to save you. Since you are after all, the only one who can defeat Zero"

"I already tried that" he grumbled. "And I lost… on all ground"

"You lost because you didn't think you could win Suzaku Kururugi" V2 continued. "Zero won because he outmaneuvered you in strategy not in Knightmaer combat. That is why I am here to give you a second chance. A chance to prove yourself" he then took out a small key from his jacket which was easily recognized as the startup device to the Lancelot. "I will give you the key to the Lancelot and give you the opportunity to take revenge for Euphemia… but in return… you must do exactly as I say. Oh… and you don't need to worry about Cornelia either. She escaped along with her knight about an hour ago"

"So you want me to destroy Zero?" Suzaku looked at him with untrusting eyes. "Why?"

V2 laughed. "Don't take me for a crime fighter Mr. Kururugi. I am simply a person who desires to achieve his own goal in life. Don't compare me with a soldier who fights for the people"

A short echo of silence loomed over the room then which made Suzaku simply frown deeper to the boy. "Then…… what's your goal in this?"

"Aha… so I take it that we have a deal then?" Suzaku gave out a silent nod which seemed to please the young boy. With a simple push of a button on the corner of the cell, Suzaku's cell door opened up with a small wooshing sound. "The hallway leading to the Lancelot has been cleared. Please… don't disappoint me Suzaku"

"Of course…" and with the Lancelot's key in his hand and the symbol of the Knight of Honor in the other… the traitor of Japan ran off to take his revenge upon the one who took the very thing that he loved.

"Hey! Wait, Suzaku!" Cecile beckoned. "What about us!?"

"You double-crosser!" Lloyd barked. "You're abandoning me after everything that I've done for!?"


	4. The Lost and Regret of Zero

**Chapter 4: The Lost and Regret of Zero**

**(Kallen's POV)**

Victory.

That was probably the only word that ran through my head when I walked through the ruined streets of Kyoto that morning. It felt so unreal as if I had taken Refrain and went to dreamland. But it wasn't a dream. It was real and I savored every moment of it. Every breath that I took and every second that had past was like fireworks popping into my head and stomach. After Zero showed footage of the Britannian aerial fleet being destroyed, the remnants of the enemy began to surrender without a fight.

With this, the establishment of Japan was assured and we have been dubbed worthy of being called Japanese again. But even if it was a victory, it was not without cost. Many families and friends lost their lives in this war and the Black Knights suffered much as well, losing many of its talented officers in battle.

Sometimes I began to wonder if it was worth it: All the sacrifice that we've made just to liberate an old country from the ground. And it all started with the will of one man… a man who sought to destroy Britannia.

Bang!

My train of doubt however was quickly interrupted when I noted fireworks being shot into the air that morning. It was almost the break of dawn and I could see the light rising from the eastern pass. There were several Burais lined up on the street welcoming us while at the same time using their weapon compartments to fire fireworks into the sky. I was riding on top of a Sutherland's shoulder which was carrying my damaged Guren back to the government bureau. I had a good feeling that Rakshata was going to lecture my ear off but I couldn't care less. Right now, everywhere all across Japan, people were celebrating.

As I turned my head around, I could see Tamaki riding on top of a Glasgow blowing kisses to the people below him and a bottle of sa-ke in his hand. Behind him was the G-1 fortress which Ohgi and the others were riding on. And on top of that, even Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords were riding along their Gekkas all the while waving at the crowd.

I smiled at them all as I looked back into the sky. I may not have picked up my brother's offer to join him… but I do know is that I had made his dream come true.

Japan was free now… and there wasn't a single man on earth who could deny it.

As our little parade finally came closer to the government bureau, the cheers and joy suddenly took a turn to the courtyard where the man who made this possible stood atop his Burai. When the people took note of Zero's figure looking down on them, they began chanting his name like some god. Like a deity, who willingly stepped down from his own seat from the mighty heaven above and descend upon our world just to liberate us. But that must be too much for me.

But as I looked up to him one more time, I couldn't help but smile and well up in the joy that I had found serving under him.

Zero… I don't give a damn if you're not Japanese.

Thank you…

**(2 hours later) (Government bureau) (Commander's room) (Arthur's POV)**

After the parade that went on for about an hour in the Tokyo settlement, Zero thought that it was now time to for him to get some much needed rest. But alas, such comfort did not seem to be allowed to him when he noticed C2 lying on his bed barely without a single shred of cloth on and hugging onto her Cheese kun toy. "You know, you really should stop doing that in my room" he said plainly. "What if someone else were to drop by here and see you?"

"I wouldn't really care" she replied while taking off her long legged socks. "Besides, I doubt anyone would harm the mistress of the great and powerful Zero"

"Mistress now… is it?" Zero chuckled while putting on the lock system on the door so no one would be able to sneak up on him. "Then I guess I shouldn't prove them wrong"

"I'm not going to resist if that's what you mean" she giggled at him.

But Zero simply stayed his hand as he returned to his chair. He then took out a pistol from his coat and placed it on the table. "As much as I like to take my stress on you, I'm not that kind of person. Perhaps when I'm in a better mood"

"Oh… that's something to look forward to" she said perversely. "I may even need to worry about my behavior. But enough about that. What are you going to do next? Now that Japan is free, will you take the battle to Britannia?"

"That's out of the question" he replied as he took off his mask. With one look, C2 could see just how tired the boy was. He has not slept for five days straight and the shots of adrenaline boosters were taking its toll on his head. "Japan's resources are very limited at the time. If we go through an all out war with Britannia then everything will be for naught. The Black Knights have also suffered immense casualties during the last battle and it only proves that putting a full force would only be useless"

"So you're satisfied with a simple stalemate? How boring"

"Hehehe… please. I never go through things half way. I accept nothing other than victory or defeat. A stalemate is still counted as a lost on my end"

"So what now?" C2 shifted her sleeping position and starred emptily at the ceiling light. "With no resources and limited manpower, Japan is on a thin line to its own destruction"

"Not necessarily" Lelouch smirked as he began arming the pistol on the table with several bullets. "I had Diethard record the battle from every camera he could find and sent it to every 'Area' under Britannia's control. If the resistance there works together then they'll create some chaos along with Britannia itself"

"Using other nations to further your own ideals? How tasteful…"

"It's called strategy" Lelouch corrected slyly. "The Honorary soldiers from France and Russia also left about an hour ago to help liberate their own nations from Britannia. That would help us fair better when we liberate them. By the way, can you hand me that medical kit by the bed?" he pointed at the small First-Aid Box which was located just right above C2's head.

She handed him the box and became curious on what he was doing. Inside the boy found several canister of morphine and bandages which provided ample of healing provisions. "What are you doing?" she asked finally.

"Creating a small miracle" he answered. And to C2's surprise, the man placed a silencer on the pistol and aimed it directly to his left shoulder. "And you know how people love miracles" when he pulled the trigger, he let out a soft groan escape his lips and endured the pain. "Grrrraaahh!"

"Lelouch!" C2 rushed to his side and tapped the pistol away from his hands. "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Creating a small act for myself" he explained as he administered morphine to the wound. "A wounded hero that returned from battle. Geh… and survives the blow given to him by an enemy soldier. It sounds like a good opening act… don't you agree"

C2 starred at the boy a bit baffled. But knowing of his condition she stayed her hands and form a small smile around her face. "You really are unusual Lelouch" she then began to unroll the bandages from the medical kit and applied alcohol to the wound. "If you were an actor, I have a good feeling that people would flock to your movies"

"You think so? Why? Do you want to help in my act too?"

"If I get to shoot you on the shoulder than that would be enjoyable" she grinned at him. "Now hold still while I get the bullet out" she then took out a pair of tweezers from the box and began sticking it in on the wound. "Do you know? About Cornelia and Suzaku?"

"Yes" the boy replied honestly. "They escaped during our victory against Calares. I should've expected as much. He took the Lancelot along with him as well and knowing Guilford, he probably wouldn't take a Knightmare since it attracts a lot of attention. He's probably on his way to the homeland by now"

"Aren't you worried about your identity being revealed?"

"Not at all. Cornelia's too professional for that and she'll probably be busy with other task upon returning home. Besides… we have the Knight of Twelve in our hands. If only Calares knew of her talents and utilized it… then perhaps we would've been in trouble" he then began to chuckle which seemed sort of out of timing with his words.

"What's so funny?" C2 inquired.

"I just had a feeling" he explained. "Do you think I would've used the same method on Calares on a different timeline? (Huh?) Oh forget it. I was just thinking out loud"

"You really are a strange person, don't you know that?"

"Yeah well. Not everyone has the thought of obliterating Britannia" he chuckled again. "By the way… what time is it?"

"Almost 6 AM. Why?"

"Then I guess it's almost time. Let's go. We still have much to do before this is all over" when the bullet was extracted, Lelouch crudely sewed his wound in and injected another shot of morphine into his body. After making sure that the pain was numbing, he grabbed his mask and placed it back on his head.

"Wait" C2 grab him by his cloak preventing him from leaving. "You haven't sleep for five days straight now. You really should get some rest"

"Not yet" he shrugged her off. "There are still a few more things that need to be done. I cannot rest until then. Wait here. I'll make sure to bring you some pizza afterwards"

"Bribing me isn't going to work"

"It worked the last four times, so why shouldn't it now?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero quickly made his way to the command room where Diethard and the other members of the Black Knights were trading words of congratulations and celebration to one another. Tamaki was obviously the first person who was drunk as he waved the empty bottle of sa-ke like a club. Ohgi and the original members of the Black Knights including Kallen and Kaguya herself were having a nice chat and a glass of water in each of their hands. Tohdoh and his followers however simply stood in a corner while silently taking shots from their own supply of sa-ke. It felt more like a party room rather than a command center. Elie too was part of that little celebration having a small private talk with Diethard since he was the only Britannian there. Upon his arrival, the sheer aura of Zero's presence attracted the eyes of the soldiers immediately silencing them.

"Zero!" Diethard was the first to motion his congratulations with a glass of wine in hand.

"You're all enjoying the victory I see…" Zero smirked under his mask while everyone nodded in respect of their wise leader. "I'll allow this one to slide but first we must make sure that things are secure"

"Oh yes…" Diethard motioned upon remembering the plan. "The scheduled transmission. I've been waiting for it as well"

"Excellent…" Zero then took his rightful place upon the throne of the command center and allowed himself to look down on his minions.

"So Zero, what's our next move?" Tamaki stated out of his drunkness. "Why don't we hold a little celebration eh? To spice up our little victory?"

"Don't get too cocky" Zero snap at them. "We may have taken Japan back, but Britannia is still strong. (Huh?) The fight exhausted much of our resources and took the lives of many Black Knights"

"The Pacific Fleet under Prince Schneizel was reported among the reinforcements too" Tohdoh added. "They were seen traveling through the Pacific Ocean about three hours ago crossing the Mariana Trench"

"What!?" Tamaki yelped. "They're sending another fleet to take us out!? That an't good! We should get ready for battle then!"

"It won't do us any good" Asahina stated. "Even if we could mount a good enough defense, our opponent is still Schneizel himself. The conqueror of Europe who decimated the French-German Alliance in two weeks and if I know well… then his force will be six times larger than Calares's armada"

"What!? Are you saying when these guys come to shore, we just crawl over and play dead!?"

"That's probably an option to be considered" Senba nodded dismissively as he took another shot of sa-ke. "We've fought to the last bit of strength we had and dealt a great blow to Britannia. We've done what we could and we shouldn't be ashamed of it. But even so…… a small country like Japan can never hope to match against an empire that controls 1/3 of the world"

"I'm disappointed in you Senba" Zero stated. "Have you forgotten that I am here as well?"

"Tch. Even with you Zero, facing against the genius tactical mind of Britannia will result in the destruction of Japan itself. We've done what we were supposed to do seven years ago and fought till the last man…"

"And talking like that makes me question your loyalty" the proud leader then wave his hand to Diethard to change the monitor. With a press of a button a screen appeared on the giant wide TV showing the news channel of Hi-TV.

"Is that?" Ohgi inquired. "A Britannian channel?"

"Yes you have Calares to thank for that" Diethard said proudly. "Thanks to his little broadcast around the world, I was able to hack into Hi-TV news network. You could say that I made arrangements for an illegal cable"

But as the members of the Black Knights watched the news spurring on the TV they quickly silenced themselves to see whatever it was that Zero was trying to show them. The screen changed again from picture to picture as a news anchor reported the scenes. Some of the members couldn't catch her words fast enough but they were able to get the gist of the whole report. Apparently when news hit around the world about the defeat of Britannia against the hands of Zero, Areas that were under the oppression of the empire began staging rebellions of their own. In all Areas that were under the rule of their colonial government were quickly thrown into disarray as riots, terrorists and revolutionaries began rising up from the ground.

As more pictures of fighting and battle continued, it was said that the Britannian military force was now on a road to amassing a full scale sterilization of half the world itself.

But this was to be expected for Zero. He knew that the moment Diethard allowed their triumph to be shown throughout the world the people would rise up arms and proclaim themselves as allies of the Black Knights. Heck, there was even a group that was even calling itself the Black Knights of Scotland.

When the members of the Black Knights were able to absorb the information into their heads, Zero pressed the mute button to drown out the sound. "As you can see: Our actions alone have begun to move the world. With the E.U. now intensifying their attacks on Britannia's eastern front and the other Areas sprouting up, Schneizel himself will have no other choice but to abandon his campaign for retaking Japan"

"And even the Britannians can't fight a three way battle" Tohdoh finished smiling with his glass held in his hand. "They'll lose more than they gain even if they do try to retake Japan"

"So you guys are saying that we're safe… right?" Tamaki said slightly quizzled by the use of difficult words being tossed around the room.

"That depends on how Schneizel reacts to this" Zero answered boringly as if the conversation did not interest him at all. But just when he was laying in a comfortable position, he noticed an incoming transmission from one of the screens. "Hmm? An open channel?"

"Zero!" Diethard shouted. "It's here. The transmission you wanted!"

"_Excellent. Right on time as ever… brother"_ Zero smirked. He then sat through his overstuffed chair and waved to the man to open the com channel which he had been expecting for some time now. "Patch it through" A moment later, a window had opened to display the face of the second prince and Prime Minister to the Holy Britannian Empire who was sitting also comfortably in his ship which was perhaps half way across the world. "Good day to you, Prince Schneizel El Britannia"

"P… prince Schneizel!!!?" Elie stumbled on his drink and stood in attention out of his old habits.

"And good day to you too" Schneizel gave out a half hinted smile, his confident tone piquing Zero's interest. "You must be the infamous mastermind of Area 11. Zero… I presume"

"Indeed I am…"

"Then what good fortune it is for me to meet you. Though I wished we could've meet face to face"

"I agree…" Zero motioned agreeing on how he really wanted to meet Schneizel himself and use his Geass on him. "I'd very much prefer to talk with a person directly rather than through a screen of a computer"

Schneizel smiled curiously to the man behind the mask but chose to ignore his comments for now. "Hmm. I believe you and I will get along just fine, Zero. But enough about that. I did not contact you simply to have a small talk with the man who has become the International Enemy of Britannia" he took a sip of his tea from his Venetian style teacup. "No doubt you've already heard that thanks to your actions, you've made a mess of Britannia's military power"

Zero nodded slightly and leaned back in his chair. "Yes. In fact we were just enjoying that scene a few minutes ago. I hear that Britannia is suffering rebellions all over their conquered lands and the E.U. are continuing their resistance against your own"

"Which is why I came to discuss a simple agreement with you" Schneizel put out his smile and placed his hands beneath his chin. "Since Britannia is on a state of panic I contacted you to offer a ceasefire agreement"

"A ceasefire agreement!?" Kallen gasped.

"An interesting proposal" Zero lowered his eyes a bit boringly. "And what makes you think that I will agree to it?"

"Japan has already depleted its resources so this proposal seems to work in your favor" Schneizel explained. "In return, you don't fight us and we won't fight you. You will have your entire country to yourself in peace"

"Like hell!" Tamaki yelled out. "Like we'll trust the words from a Britannian royal pig! Your little Princess Euphemia promised us peace and equality and look where that got us!? How can we trust a guy who… ehmphh!!!" Minami and Inoue quickly rushed to the man and covered his mouth to prevent him from saying anything more.

"Tamaki, shut up!" Inoue scolded him. "You're not the diplomat here!" she turned to the others and whispered a silent apology to them.

Once the red head was taken away, Zero returned his gaze to the man and continued their little treaty. "A fine offer it is, Prince Schneizel. A logical, diplomatical and tactical treaty. If we agree then you can focus on fighting two battles instead of three. I shall agree to it… under two conditions…"

"And they would be?" Schneizel sharpened his eyes waiting for the terms.

"As Prime Minister of Britannia, you have the power to recognize countries as they are created. If I am to agree with this treaty then you must promise to allow Area 11 to secede from Britannian rule and recognize it as the United States of Japan" a slow numbers of murmurs went on with the members who were present.

"I see…" Schneizel nodded with his eyes closed for a second. "Then if that is to occur then the prisoners you have will come into accordance as Prisoners of War"

"They will and they shall be treated as such. Of course by the agreement of this treaty, I will allow a single transport ship to a prisoner exchange. All members of the Britannian populace, including military and civilians will be released unharmed"

Schneizel smiled a little wider liking the proposition so far. "Then it shall be done. As Prime Minister of Britannia, I will hereby recognize the United States of Japan" he let out a small laugh before continuing. "A recording of this video should be more than sufficient than a properly signed treaty, don't you think?

"Agreed…"

"And your second condition?"

"That you will add to your offer a Non-aggression Pact"

"A Non-aggression Pact?" Schneizel was not one to show a surprised expression through his face but this occurrence was an expectance. "You mean the same one used during the 1920s and 30s"

"Yes. Those are my conditions" Zero nodded. "With this, I can hopefully agree to your offer of a ceasefire treaty"

The prince smirked patiently knowing well that Zero had placed him on a check maneuver. If he was to fall back now, then the talk will crumble into dust. A silent grin fell over Schneizel's face as he knew that the man he was talking to really knew what he was getting himself into. "A well placed move Zero. I should really take my hat off for you. With this treaty, neither of us can call a full scale war with each other. You could even say that it's a culture block out technique"

"A strategy that has been overlooked for quite some time"

Schneizal laughed again holding his stomach with a crafty grin. "Very well then. Then under the terms of the Non-aggression Pact, the United States of Japan will not attack Britannia or aid its enemies in whatever way possible"

"Agreed" Zero was somewhat disappointed that he wasn't able to get Schneizel in his grasp but was satisfied knowing that he was able to secure his position against further attacks. "And in return, Britannia will also have to limit its military activities around Japanese waters. Are we in terms?"

"We have terms, Zero… and a fairly good one"

"Then we are finished with our discussion. The record of this conversation has been done. And so Prince Schneizel… I bit you… farewell. I hope we meet again on better ttimes"

"So do I, Zero" the blonde prince smiled innocently as always. "And if you're not busy, perhaps you would entertain me to a game of chess"

"A game I look forward to" and with their last remarks given Schneizel cut off the feed. Once Diethard was sure that the signal was cut, all eyes turned to Zero.

"Zero, are you sure about this?" Kallen spoke up. "Are you sure we can trust the words of a Britannian prince?"

Ohgi agreed too as well. "Yeah… I know that you trust them but some of us don't really have much faith in Britannian royalty anymore since the Princess Massacre incident"

"He won't back down on his words" Zero replied with confidence ringing in his voice. "Unlike Euphemia, Schneizel holds a high ranking standard in the empire. If he breaks his words it would ruin his reputation and trust among his own ranks will be thrown into question. He may be a tactical genius but he's also a man who holds his honor"

"Putting a man's honor to the test" Tohdoh silently remarked to himself. "What cunning…"

"By tonight, if everything goes as plan. The United States of Japan will finally be recognized by the world as an official nation. And with the treaty of a Non-aggression Pact in accordance to international law, it should provide us with sufficient time to repair and rebuild this nation to its former glory at least. But first…"

"But first?" Kallen questioned.

"A little break now wouldn't be too bad" Zero sighed for once loudly. "And I could use a break from all this chaos. Tamaki" he then motioned to the man who never thought he would be any use to this organization. "I have a task for you"

"Huh?" the red haired man and the others looked at their leader confusingly. "Me?"

"Yes. From what I heard from Ohgi and the others, you seem to be best man in organizing celebrations correct? (Uh… yeah) Then this is your first assignment. I want you to hold a celebration for everyone. Even I find this to be a good time to hold a celebration, don't you agree"

"But I thought you didn't like holding big parties"

"I'll make today an exception. Besides…… what better reason is there to celebrate the birth of the U.S.J?"

"I also agree" Tohdoh agreed getting a few surprising looks from some of the com officers. "The people need to know that we have won and a celebration of fireworks and battlecries will be perfect. I myself wouldn't mind a rest day"

"Yes" Diethard nodded too in agreement. "Now that Schneizel has recognizes us, a boost in the morale would be excellent! We should even declare this day as Zero's day"

"Don't get carried away now" Zero waved it off dreading the thought of a whole day to himself. And so with that, a chorus of laughter echoed from the soldiers.

Tamaki then beamed with joy as he finally got a perfect excuse to throw a real party. "Alright! Just you watch Zero! I'll throw the biggest party ever! Everyone! Breakfast at the cafeteria! Sugiyama, you're in charge of cooking, Yoshida, you come with me and we'll pick up all the wine and sa-ke from the storehouse! Minami, and the others, follow me! Haha haha!" again his laugh was immediately followed by the others as the man ran off to prepare the biggest banquet in all of Japan.

"Oh man…" Inoue sighed. "When Zero gives him the word, he's off like a bullet"

"I just hope he doesn't get too drunk until he passes out" Ohgi laughed.

Zero then stood up to his seat all the while grinning to himself for his greatest accomplishment yet. "Enjoy yourselves for today everyone. Report back here tomorrow morning at 9 AM. We'll discuss our next movement then" he then walked off to the hallway leaving the soldiers to yell out a jubilant cry of a party. It almost sounded like an after-school prom at best.

But when Zero walked off, Kallen and Diethard followed after him. "Wait a minute Zero" the media man reached out for him. "I wanted to discuss something with you. About the Zero Squad I thought that we'd…" he then realized his folly when he noticed the masked leader flinch when he grabbed his shoulder. "Zero… you're wounded?"

"What?!" Kallen and the other members gasped in recognition of this.

"It seems like my bandages have been undone" Zero said calmly. "It's nothing to be concerned about. Just an enemy who happened to take a lucky shot"

"But Zero"

"I'm fine. You go enjoy yourself Kallen" Zero waved her away and slowly made his withdrawal from the command center.

**(Pacific fleet)**

Schneizel leaned back on his comfortable seat as the camera screen finally turned off from Zero's face. Once they were done he let out a small sigh to himself. He had been to many diplomatic talks before but never before had he faced an opponent as frightening as Zero. His charisma and clear cut words saw through every ruse and every trick he could muster at that short moment. To say the least he was very much interested if the two of them were to ever meet in a battle of debate, then it would surely spark a new record in the world.

But he was more interested in a rather fine sport of chess rather than a battle of wits and words. He wondered who would win and who would lose… and what will the consequences of such a gruesome match.

"Prince Schneizel" said Kanon Maldini, the prince's personal political and military advisor. "Are you alright your highness?"

"Kanon…" the prince spoke up in a rather pleased voice. "I think I may have gotten my wish. (Sir?) I became a military commander and join the campaign against the E.U. because that's where all the greatest minds of the world lived. But none of them were able to last too long to satiate my taste at all. And now I found one who actually managed to beat me in a game of words. Oh what a delightful day this has turned out to be" he smiled pleasingly at himself. "If only I had known that Zero was such a man I would've relinquish Cornelia's command and take over Area 11 personally"

"Shall we stay on course your highness?" Kanon asked gesturing to the helmsman. "We already crossing into International Waters"

"No, fall back" he gestured with his hand. "I already gave my word to him and I can't break it. Besides… we have much more important matters to attend to. Have the fleet withdraw back to Area 18 but send a few ships to pick up the prisoners. Zero will definitely be a man who keeps his word and I'm anxious to find out what he does next"

"That's a pretty large praise for a terrorist group your highness"

"Terrorist? Oh Kanon, you know so much yet you still have so much to learn. Those men are no terrorist. And Zero is definitely one to be feared. Even now just imagining me fighting him on a fair and level field makes my skin quiver. I think I'd better hone my chess skills, I'm getting quite excited just thinking about it"

"Y… your highness!" Kanon beckoned but his words were left on silence as the prince was too busy thinking of strategies. "I've never seen his majesty like this before. Could Zero really be that strong of an opponent?"

**(Tokyo Settlement) (Government bureau) (Commander's room) (Nightfall)**

The night came early that day at the city of Tokyo. But even among the ruins of the city, a celebration was held in honor of the victory of the Black Knights against Britannia. A few hours after Zero diplomatic talk with Schneizel, the news channel immediately began broadcasting a report stating how Area 11 has seceded from the empire's control and was now named the United States of Japan… or U.S.J. for short.

In that bleak moment of silence, a loud roar of pleasing citizens erupted from the ground. Their cries and cheers were so loud that some people believed that the dead themselves would be standing on their feet trying to find out what the hell was going on.

In the city itself, members of the resistance fighters and those torn by the oppression of Britannia were out celebrating with their comrades. In medical tents where the weak and wounded were kept, they raised their glasses in cheers to one another for they too deserved the right to celebrate. And in the government bureau, Tamaki was holding a victory feast for the others only inviting the important, original and third generation members of the Black Knights. To say the least the whole city became a circus festival for Japan.

As Zero returned to his room at the government bureau, he arrived with the promised pizza that he ordered himself for C2. "I take it that you like it?"

"Yes" the green haired witch gave an approved nod. "My regards to the chef if you please"

"The people of Japan may be celebrating now, but little do they know that Japan is in a state of ruin. The hardest part is rebuilding itself"

"But you have a plan, right?"

"Yes" he replied. "Though it might take time. Rebuilding the nation is our top priority. Taizo has contacted me earlier and he has agreed in handing over the rights to the Sakuradite mining operation at Mt. Fuji"

"He's retiring?"

"Let's just say that he had enough of war and is now planning his retirement in an old house in Mt. Fuji itself" Zero replied while clicking on several icons on the computer. "The remaining members of the Six Houses of Kyoto have also willingly dissolved themselves and hand over all their power to Kaguya"

"Really?" C2 showed a brow while taking the last slice of pizza on the table. "They simply hand over their power? I can imagine Taizo but the others…"

Zero showed a snickering laugh. "They were unwilling at first but they were quickly shown the light under my… unique talent"

"You used your Geass on them?"

"If one person disobeys then the rest will follow" he explained. "Besides… it clears up a lot of misunderstanding. Don't worry, they'll be living comfortably in their retirement homes"

"Such a bold move for one such as you" as C2 licked what was left of the pizza she quickly dialed up the phone to the main cafeteria downstairs.

"Who are you calling?"

"I need more pizza"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The members of the Black Knights were having a ball down at the cafeteria of the government bureau. If one would say that Tamaki had a use for something, it would be how he throws parties. He brought out all the collection of his CDs and played them on the stereo. He even removed some of the tables to make up for a dance floor and hung a disco ball at the top of the room. When the floor was completed he invited everyone to dance and little did he know that many of them were already waiting for that opportunity.

Yoshida and Inoue were the first to get on the floor followed by Tamaki and a few others. Senba was asked by one of the female members and he refused at first but was later forced to by two other girls. Later, the big man was on the dance floor barely even catching up to the beat. Asahina and Urabe were puzzled at how the round man was able to get the girls to go for him and not them.

"It has to be that horn on his head" Urabe said jealously.

"Yeah it totally has to be…" Asahina groaned as he chunked a bottle of beer down his throat. "AHH! That's the taste"

Ohgi wanted to join the dance to but his gunshot wound made him unable to do so. Which also reminded him of Chigusa… or Villetta as she came to call herself that.

Kallen too was having a blast. Never had she thought that she was able to laugh so loudly that night and when Tamaki brought in the karaoke machine, even Tohdoh himself seemed to be humored.

Elie and Diethard on the other hand simply resided on the corner of the cafeteria not really caring much of the situation or the party. It was plain to see that by the time news reach of their part in the battle in Area 11 they would surely be branded as traitors of the empire. But Diethard didn't mind. He couldn't even care less about his racial status. As long as he held his position in the intelligence group of the Black Knights then they won't have a say in his stay here in Japan.

Elie was the same. Now that he was branded a traitor the only place he could go is to be with the Black Knights. Only the Honorary Britannians who served under him were loyal and friendly towards him but it also kind of felt lonely.

Just as things were going well in the party, Kallen noticed Sugiyama answering the phone in the kitchen line. "Huh? Oh it's you. (…) Yeah I thought so…" she heard him speak in a friendly manner. "I got one ready with everything on top. I'll send it right up"

"Hey, who was that?" Kallen asked.

"Oh that was C2" he answered. "She ordered another pizza. I expected as much seeing that girl has an endless appetite. I'll get someone to send it right up"

"I'll do it" she volunteered. "I don't have much to do anyway and besides… I think Zero could use the company"

"Well alright" the man then handed her the pizza tray which smelled rather good with all the spirit he put into it. As Kallen left the cafeteria room they did notice her take a few champagne bottles from the cupboard and two wine glasses from the shelf.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Knock, knock…

"It's open" Zero said as he placed his mask back on his head. But then to his surprise, Kallen appeared. "Kallen? What are you doing here? I thought you went to the Safe Zone to see your mother"

"I… kinda had a long talk with her on the phone" she explained embarrassingly. "She said it was fine for me to stay here for the party but she said that she's doing fine at the Safe Zone. Apparently some of the nurses are very friendly to her. Though she was quite shocked to find out that I was part of the Black Knights"

"It's common for parents to be worried about their children" Zero replied. "You should probably visit her at the earliest possible time. You should cherish the family you have now"

"Yeah… I guess" she said a little dejected. But then she quickly sprung back when she remembered the pizza that she brought for him. "Oh yeah. Sugiyama told me to bring this to you and…" she showed him the bottles of champagne she brought. "I brought you something to drink. You know… to celebrate this special occasion"

But then C2 decided to snatch away the pizza before the boy even had a chance to react "I'll take that, thank you"

"AH! Hey! Don't you know anything about sharing?"

"I'd rather eat it on my own" C2 grinned back at her. "Besides, it's not like he's going to take anything with that mask on" it was then Kallen realized that Zero was still indeed wearing a mask. With that mask he was unable to eat or drink or even grasp the basic pleasures of socialization with others. But if he were to do that then his entire masked identity would be broken. It was perhaps the tradeoff in becoming Zero. "Oh… I see… sorry. I guess I'll leave it here then…" she said sadly through her words. She turned around and began to leave.

But before she went through the door, Zero perked in. "Wait… Kallen (Huh?)" the man paused for a moment and let a smile cross his face. "Thank you. I will definitely enjoy these treats you have given me. Though I haven't really tasted one, I heard that they are extremely tasteful"

"Well… it was nothing, really…" the girl twiddled with her finger as a shade of red began to appear on her face. "It was just hanging around at the cafeteria so I thought that you would like them and…"

"Well. I would love to have a glass with you if I could but sadly I am denied that simple pleasure. But enough about me. I viewed the records from the Guren's combat data just recently… and I must say that I am impressed, Kallen. (Huh? Oh…) To be able to defeat a Knight of the Round is an achievement far greater than you could imagine"

"Oh… it's nothing, I mean I was just giving it my all and…"

"You shouldn't sell yourself short, Kallen" Zero motioned his hand to her chin lifting it up to meet his gaze. "Do you know what the Britannians call you? Your Guren possesses many nicknames but your skill in battle is more commonly known as the Devil's Right Hand. Some how I find that to be a fitting title for you"

"Zero…" Kallen visibly blushed a bright shade of red around her cheek again. "T… thank you sir…"

"In any case, you should go and enjoy yourself" Zero gestured to the door. "There's a celebration happening and you're a part of it" but just as he opened the door, the man was suddenly greeted by the presence of Nagisa Chiba, one of the members of the Four Holy Sword. "Hmm?"

"Oh… commander Zero" the young woman stuttered as her hand dangled in the air hinting that she was about to knock on the door when he opened it. "I'm sorry. I hope I'm not interrupting anything"

"Lieutenant Chiba?" Kallen looked rather surprised to see the girl.

"Well this is a surprise" Zero said bitterly but no one managed to catch it except Chiba who knew why. "To what do I owe to have earned the honor to meet with one of the members of the Four Holy Swords in person?"

Chiba gritted her teeth down but remained calm nonetheless. As she, Zero and Kallen were out the door between the room and the hallway she continued. "I…… I…" she paused in a very characteristic manner as if she was having a hard time getting the words out of her mouth. "I came here to apologize" she bowed deeply at the gesture of her words which seemed to surprise Zero and the other two girls. They did not expect coming from the proud warrior Nagisa Chiba.

"What do you…?" Kallen quirked an eyebrow while Zero remained calm as usual.

"I'm afraid you'll have to explain Ms. Nagisa"

She paused for a moment and allowed her head to rise back up to meet the man's gaze. "A few days ago…… before the final battle for Japan… I said… some things that were involuntary. I thought that you were just a person who was using us to further his own goals…… but I later found out that those were the actions necessary to lead us" Zero remained silent hinting her to go on. "I was angry when the thought of you using us as puppets came into light. But… the Colonel made me realize that we were no different than you. (Pause) I heard from Taizo that your goal was to destroy Britannia and you saw us as a bandwagon to further achieve that goal"

"And your point?"

"It's true that you used every last one of us to achieve that selfless goal of yours" she clenched her fists tightly together as if resisting the urge to punch herself in the face. "But in the end we used you as well. We used your talents, your skill and charisma to liberate Japan. By using us as puppets you yourself became a puppet for our goals"

"……"

"Because of our distrust in you, the colonel was wounded even though he kept telling us to believe in you. I should've known better since you led us all the way here. Even after going through so much you never abandoned us… and even knowing that… I spoke up against you in spite of what Kyoshiro thought… and for that I humbly apologize as a representative of all of the Four Holy Swords" she bowed again deeply this time bending her entire body downward.

Kallen was baffled. To think that Chiba would actually show such humility was beyond what she could imagine. She always thought of her to be a superior… a soldier above her or her sempai (Japanese term used for those who are above you or older than you).

Zero smiled and thought of this as a good opportunity to earn a good rep among the soldiers. "I refuse your apology Lieutenant Chiba" Kallen's face turned to her commander in shock.

But Chiba remained silent and calm. "I understand Zero…"

"No, you don't" he cut her off. "The reason why I refuse to accept your apology is because you have no reason to apologize. You assumptions are correct. I am using you to achieve my own goals and in return you get to achieve your own goals as well. An even trade if I may say so myself. But… it is of course not without reason. You distrust me because of the lack information… and like all humans when they lack information they simply jump to conclusion and are hasty to imagine the worst possible scenario. The lack of information is… this face" Zero motioned his hand to his mask.

"Your face?" Kallen muttered barely about a whisper.

"That's right. Because of my secrecy you cannot allow yourself to trust me. Even now there are a few who still do not trust me. You also know that I myself am not Japanese which makes it even harder for you to follow my orders. And for that I cannot blame you. Trust is something that must be earned and as long as I have this mask, I will not be able to earn anyone's trust" After a slight gesture of his neck, he turned away to leave for his room. "You should go back to the celebration. Tomorrow will be a big day for Japan"

But then Chiba spoke up, stopping him. "W… wait Zero. There's… actually something I wanted to ask you. I know that our trust in you hasn't changed but…… I still feel like there's something I need to do. That's why I want you to grant my request"

"First you come and tell me that you do not trust me, apologize to me, question my authority as leader of the Black Knights and now you wish to request something from me?" Zero humored. "My my… you really are a picky girl" Chiba blushed at his sense of a joke. "But very well. I shall hear your request?"

"I wish to be transferred to the Zero Squad…"

"WHAT!?" Kallen hit her head on the wall as she stumbled back in shock.

Even Zero too seemed rather surprised. If Chiba was to officially join the Zero Squad then he would have a worthy soldier under his direct command. But still… that goal seemed too ambitious and taking a gift from a Trojan was simply a disaster waiting to happen. "If you were a regular soldier Ms. Nagisa, I would've accepted your offer in a heartbeat. However in respect of your commander, Kyoshiro Tohdoh and the other members of the Four Holy Swords, I will have to deny your request until I get consent from them. (Of course…) Also… you do realize that by joining the Zero Squad, you will be taking orders from Captain Kouzuki. I hope you're not affected by taking orders from someone younger than yourself"

"I can adapt" she replied. The confidence in her tone slowly returning.

"Very good then. You can report to Kouzuki tomorrow morning"

"At once sir" she saluted in a very soldier like manner. She then turned her face to Kallen who seemed to be ignored until now. "I'll be under your care Captain Kouzuki"

"Uh… yeah! Sure… no problem!" Kallen slightly blushed a little embarrassed.

"I'll have to go back now" Chiba turned again to Zero who seemed to be rather pleased on how the situation turned out. "Good evening to you commander Zero" and with that she turned around and left the two with a slight shade of red coming around her own cheeks.

By the time she was out of sight and out of earshot, Kallen was quick to turn her head around. "Are you sure it's alright? I mean I never…"

"You'll do just fine" Zero replied with a small hint of a laugh. "Besides… Chiba will make an excellent first addition to the Zero Squad, am I right? (Uh… yeah) Then we have nothing to fear. You should go and celebrate as well Kallen. I have a feeling that you are being missed there"

The red head paused for a bit but found that it was better to celebrate now than never. Because if she stayed any longer, Zero wouldn't be able to enjoy the treat that she brought him "Yeah… you're probably right. I'll see you tomorrow then" and with that she waved off to join the others at the cafeteria leaving behind a lonely man behind the mask to worry about his own future in his quarters.

"You really are a womanizer, you know that" C2 spoke up as she rose boringly from the bed. "Just by talking you can already snatch a woman's heart with relative ease"

"It can either be called charisma or charm" Zero smirked before locking the door again. "I barely even put any effort into my act"

"Is that so" the green haired witch cooed. "Then I guess if you did put effort into your words… you can make any girl fall for you, huh?"

"If that was true then hasn't it worked on you?"

"That's because I'm not just 'any' girl" she grinned evilly which was only replied with a smirk from her accomplice.

Just when Zero was about to resume his work on digging for more information from Cornelia's computer he noted that there was a com channel waiting for him. "Yes, what is it?"

"Commander… Zero" the frequency was a bit static so he couldn't tell who the caller was. "Sorry to disturb you sir, but there's a student from Ashford Academy who wishes to see you"

"A student?" the boy inquired. "I thought all civilians were supposed to be evacuated to the Safe Zone?"

"Yes sir, but we found this student just a few minutes ago and she's demanding to see you. She says that she might have information on the boy Lelouch Lamperouge. The one that you ordered us to look for"

"Hmm… an annoyance huh" Lelouch sighed. "Very well, what's the name of the student?"

"I have here a… Shirley Anne Fenette"

"What!?" Lelouch rose from his seat in surprise. _"Shirley? That can't be. I personally made sure that they were off to the Safe Zone." _he then pause for a moment as if in deep thought. "Alright. Keep her there and don't harm her. I'll go and meet her myself"

"Yes sir…"

"C2, you stay here" Lelouch ordered as he put his mask back on. "I'll be gone for awhile"

"Naturally…"


	5. On Loyalty's Intent

**Chapter 5: On Loyalty's Intent**

**(Ashford Academy)**

Zero wasted no time at all to get to the academy after the call was made. Seeing that the Gawain was still in a state of repair he took his custom made Burai and headed quickly to the academy to meet with the student. _"Shirley…… why did you have to appear here now of all times? Has your memory returned or something? If so… then I might have to…"_ he shook the thought away and focused his attention on getting there instead.

When his Knightmare came upon the sight of the school entrance he immediately noted that the gate was left wide open. He left the Burai out at the front and walked straight in. The school had seen better days that much was true. Thanks to the Black Knights using this place as a command center during the attack on the government bureau it had become a complete mess. Luckily the school itself wasn't brought in to the combat zone. There were a few stray bullets that came by and the rumbling earthquake from the tumbling of the outskirts made had rattled many of the furnitures.

In a time of peace, this place was usually filled with laughter and even during at night there was always a hint of happiness laying about somewhere. The school library was intact which held much of the school data. Zero made a mental note to go and check there to see if there was any information that might take his interest.

The dorms however were gradually a mess. Thanks to Nina's crazed attempt to use a Sakuradite bomb, there were a few gunshots fired from there. The bomb itself was personally dismantled by the professional bomb squad but Zero had wished that they would save it for it may have become an excellent weapon on the battlefield.

Just when he was marching through the nostalgic road of memories, Zero finally came upon a life. At the center courtyard he saw a soldier of the Black Knights gazing intently at the fountain which had already stopped working.

"You there" the masked leader called out but the man didn't respond. "Where is the girl Shirley Fenette?" he was greeted with silence. "Didn't you hear me? Hey! I'm talking to you" but when he grab the soldier by the shoulder, the figure immediately fell to the ground revealing the body of a wooden mannequin. "What the? A mannequin?" he then noticed something was a little odd on the nearby rose bush. He took a step to look inside but what he saw there nearly made him vomit inside his mask. "What!?"

Inside the bush were the bodies of four Black Knight members. Zero shook the fear away and touched the neck of one of the bodies. _"These soldiers were killed recently. About half an hour if I'm correct. But who would…?"_

He was cut off from his thoughts when the school automated gates suddenly closed behind him. Taking precaution of the trap that he had fallen into, the boy pulled out a pistol from one of the corpses and looked around to see what was going on.

"Welcome Zero!!" the speakers suddenly activated along with every light in the school. "Welcome to Ashford Academy! The place where it all started! Your birthplace! Your sanctuary!"

"That voice…" Zero muttered. "Is that you Orange Boy!?"

"I am honored that you remember me! Since you were the one who did killed me twice after all! But let's not talk about the history. We must look onward to the present and the future!"

"He's using the speaker from the student council room" Zero grumbled. _"And if he's there then there's a possibility that he also has the school cameras from the security room watching my every move. I set up that public security myself when Milly asked… so it'll be hard for me to get around without being spotted. I'll have to call for backup for this"_ he took out his phone and began dialing Kallen's number. But just before it connected the signal suddenly got cut off. "What the? A jammer?"

"Oh now now Zero. Bringing your cell phone during class is not allowed!" Jeremiah laughed maniacally as he continued to watch the masked man from his seat. "It'll be detention for you! AHAHAHA!!!" with a press of a button, several automated cameras that were modified with assault rifles began firing on Zero's position.

But Zero was able to dodge it, a few bullets piercing through his long cape. "This is insane! I never thought I'd actually have my own past come to haunt me at such a time"

"Zero, you and I are old friends, are we not?" Jeremiah Gottwald continued his ranting. "Why don't you and I meet face to face? I was your first victim was I not? Of your Geass?"

Zero's eyes widened. _"What?! He knows about Geass? But how!?"_

"Oh I know a lot of things Zero. I know how you were able to get me to agree with your Orange story. How you manipulated me and the others into doing your bidding. But it ends here and now. I will end the legend that we all know as Zero… or should I say…… Lelouch Lamperouge?"

"_Tch… so he knows my identity as well_" Zero gritted his teeth as he readied his pistol. After a moment he quickly began scanning his surroundings to see if there was anything he could use. If only he could bring his Knightmare into the school grounds then the defenses of the academy would be cakewalk. _"The security system I installed in Ashford Academy is near topnotch but it's not perfect. There are flaws in the positioning of the cameras but I don't know how many of them have been modified to Jeremiah's command. If I could access a school computer then perhaps I can hack into it. But first I need to get myself into a more defendable position"_

But just when Zero was about to make a move to the school's auditorium, he noticed several mannequins suddenly appearing from the entrance with guns taped onto their bodies. "Improvised soldiers… impressive work Jeremiah…" he dodged the bullets and hastily took cover in a public restroom at the side of the courtyard. "Very well played. Using the remote control mechanism chips of simple movements from the Science Club, bulleye targets from the Archery Club and the mannequins from the Tailor Club to create a simple line of defense" he then saw that the entrance to the restroom itself was being watched. So instead of forcing his way out with the limited ammo that he had, he escaped through the window.

"Trying to escape, Zero?" an oddly familiar voice echoed from the tree-line. When Zero turned around he was faced front with small barreled gun.

"You!?"

"Die!!!" Villetta fired her gun at him but missed his mask just by a few inches. "Zero!" the man ran.

"_That girl is here too?"_ Zero groaned as he made his way towards the gym. After getting some distance between him and the assassin, he took a breather at the storage room where most of the gym equipments were kept. Zero remembered dreading this place when he was still a regular student. Since he wasn't as physically fit as most teens he always tried to avoid gym class whenever possible. But now it had become his safe house for the time being.

"Oh of all the places, why the gym?" he groaned out loud. _"This is turning to be grim. With Jeremiah watching me with my own security cameras and that girl out for my blood… I'm down on luck alone. If he resorted to using doll-like soldiers then it's obvious that there are only two of them. An observer, the hunter and the prey. I'm like a rat crawling around a maze they built on their own ego. If this goes on, I'll run out of rooms to hide and…"_

He never got to finish his thought when an explosion suddenly came through the door of the storage room. "Zero, I'll kill you, right here and now!" Villetta rammed her way through as if desperately angered by the boy's actions. "I'll avenge Kewell and everyone that you've killed through this gun!"

"Not while I still have the will to live!" Zero then fired three shots at the girl making her duck for cover. On the other side, he could already see that they had set a trap for him with the mannequin army. If he rushed through the only door then he'll definitely be killed. So to distract the computer guidance chip he pushed the large box of basketballs and allowed them to roll out towards the mannequins. "Now's my chance!"

But Villetta knew that he would use such tactics and came prepared. "Jeremiah, use the camera guns in the gym!" the said cameras quickly began volleying Zero from high ground making him spring even faster to the Gardening Club's main greenery. He thought that maybe the grass there could provide him some cover from his hunter.

But little did the boy know that he made a grave error in coming there. When Villetta arrived on scene she pulled out a string which was holding onto several confiscated slingshots with Molotov used as ammunitions. In a matter of seconds, Zero found himself to be in the center of a sea of fire. But one like him would not surrender so easily to death. No while his desire to see Britannia rot to the ground was still strong in him. So with one cool stunt maneuver the boy leaped through wall of fire and fired three more rounds at Villetta which missed her by a few meters. The girl fought back and began shooting a barrage of her assault rifle.

Zero's cape was slightly burnt and his clothes too were scrapped by the many obstacles that he had to go through. "Almost there…" he said to himself. _"If I can get to the library, I'll be able to hack into the school's server. Jeremiah will need to keep the power on to activate his traps and if they lose sight of me I'll be able to escape and gather my men. But right now the problem is getting there on foot"_ he took a peak from his hiding spot to see if the road was clear. _"No doubt that he probably set up traps along the road way and the garden to prevent me from moving freely so going in will be risky. I'll have to create some sort of diversion to…"_

"There you are!" Villeta barked. "You won't get away so easily!"

"If this girl wasn't here I would've been able to counter this threat!" both sides then began firing on one another hoping that they would be able to pull a lucky shot.

**(Outside of Ashford)**

Elie walked along the ruins of the old city of Tokyo. He was carrying with him a bottle of beer on one hand and a box of some delicious treats from one of the campsites. He had felt that the party inside the government bureau was too much for his taste and Diethard didn't really have much to talk about. So he decided to visit the place where most of the ex-honorary Britannians of Japan were celebrating.

After a few shots of their liquor, the boy thought that it was time for him to quit. He wasn't any older than regular teenager but his skills in Knightmare combat and tactical thinking were second to none. Some would say that he was a prodigy of war. A born warrior or conqueror if one may say.

"Man oh man…" he rubbed his head achingly. "These guys just don't know when to quit drinking. One moment they're soldiers and the next second they're drunkards in a bar. Oh…" he tripped slightly on his feet. "Oh great. I must be off balance with myself. I'll be lucky just to find my way back to the bureau" he took the route through the school district not only to save time but because it was the least area where the Black Knights would come to celebrate.

But then his ears perked up when he heard gunshots coming from the nearby academy. "Huh? Are those… gunshots I hear?" having curiosity take over him, Elie rushed towards the direction of the gunshots towards the gates of the once proud Ashford Academy.

Of course the first thing he noticed was the red head modified Burai that was kneeling outside the gate. "Hey… isn't that the Burai Zero was piloting the other day? What's it doing here?" he then went to the gate and found its barred steel to be locked. "Hmm? It's locked?" he paused for a moment when the gunshots again echoed from the distance. "A training exercise maybe?" but his words were proven wrong when he noticed bloodstain on the gate itself. "Something isn't right here…"

As he climbed over the wall of the school with relative ease his instinct soon proved themselves correct. There were bodies of Black Knight soldiers scattered among the courtyard and all their weapons seemed to have been taken by an unknown assailant. "These guys. They're all Black Knight soldiers" Sensing danger nearby, Elie took an assault rifle from one of the destroyed cameras and checked the cartridge for the amount of ammo remaining.

After hearing more gunshots coming from the library area he pulled out his communicator and changed the frequency to his soldiers. "This is Elie calling HQ, HQ, please respond to ahh!" he flinched and pulled the communicator out of his ear when a loud static noise echoed in. "A signal jammer? A small one but it must be effective nonetheless. But who? Remnants of the Britannian army or… assassins?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero soon miraculously made his way to the school library, but not without being hounded by a barrage of bullets following closely behind him. "Geh! If I knew that this was going to happen I wouldn't have shot myself in the arm this morning!" he grunted to himself before pushing a table to barricade the entrance. "I only need to find a computer terminal and then I can cut the feed to Jeremiah's network, disable the signal jammer and call Kallen for help. But how can I keep that insane woman out of my hair for five minutes?"

It was then an idea popped into his head when he saw the bookcases lined up along the library. He saw this technique done before in cartoons and such but never really thought that it would work in real life. "Well… there's always that option"

About two minutes later, Villeta made her way in to the library, blasting the door open with her weapons. She almost looked like one of those would be heroes in movies who carried all their around them.

But upon entering she immediately knew that something was wrong here. The room was quiet, too quiet. The air was heavy, the stench of trickled blood, the eerie silence and un-shifting wind made it clear that Zero was here and he was preparing something.

"Jeremiah" she called through her direct-line communicator. "I'm in the library. Can you see him?"

"No" he replied. "He took out the cameras a few seconds ago. The traps I set up were also disabled. Be careful"

"Roger" Villetta treaded carefully through the library. The lights were off and the switch to turn them back on were busted beyond recognition. That only told her that Zero was in this build and wherever he was, there was no doubt that he would've set a trap to counter her. As she made her way deeper, the creaking walls and eye torn books began to feel a bit unease. Libraries were never the best place to hang around at night. With all the books and wealth of information scattered around these parts it almost felt like the pages of those books had eyes and ears of their own.

As expected, Zero did indeed set a trap. But for it to work, he would have to play a little game with the girl first. He didn't like playing the game of cat and mouse but the situation called for it.

Suddenly, when Villetta was about to reach the Science Section she suddenly caught a glimpse of Zero moving on the upper floor. "I got you now!" she fired but the moment she did he was already gone. "Tch! Sneaky little rat!" she quickly rushed up the stairs to follow her, but little she know, that the one she was following was simply a shadow of the real thing.

Because on the opposite end of the bookcase, Zero simply used a flashlight to image his shadow on the second floor tricking the girl's already unstable state of mind easily. As long as she remained on the second floor the boy had ample time to access the library's computers and hack into his own personal security console. "That was easier than I expected" he said to himself. "I'll have to thank Rivalz for teaching me this trick during our last fieldtrip" But just as he accessed the school public security cameras he suddenly noticed a familiar figure passing through one of them. "Jeremiah. I should've known that you would come back to haunt me. I should've killed you when I had the chance and now you've come to take revenge. Tch… how typical of you"

After tinkering with the computer for a few more minutes, Zero was able to put his own trap in motion. So with nothing holding him back he decided to leave the place while Villetta was still looking for him at the top floor. As he expected, there was a blind spot in the security detail around the campus. The backdoor of the library had a camera but thanks to a certain incident that happened during the school festival, its angle had been off for just about 0.2 seconds. Plenty of time for him to walk out unnoticed.

"Freeze…"

But he wasn't even able to take ten steps when a voice echoed from his back. _"What? Another accomplice?" _Zero panicked.

"Turn around slowly and don't try anything funny" he was forced to comply but when he turned around both of their eyes widened. "Huh? Zero?"

"_Elie?"_ Zero quirked. _"Is he a part of this trap too?"_ but the boy could not speak as he was still paralyzed by the gun that was being pointed at him. _"If he is… then I'm in trouble…"_

"What are you doing here" Elie said suddenly which seemed to surprise Zero as well. "I thought that you were in the government bureau and…" he wasn't able to speak fast enough when gunshots suddenly came through from the window of the library nearly hitting both of them. "What the?!" in his reaction, the blonde haired boy hastily grab Zero and pushed him towards the nearby bench to keep him from harm. "Get down!" he barked out before returning fire to whoever was shooting. "You ok?"

"Y… yeah I'm fine" the masked leader nodded. "Just some wounds but nothing too serious"

"I was right after all… you got someone out for your head huh"

"Well, I'm an enemy of Britannia after all" Zero humored. "It's no surprise that there are a few who wants to see my head on a pike. Are you alone?"

"Yeah, I heard some gunshots so I came to check it out. And to think that I would find the leader of the Black Knights being hunted in his own stronghold"

"Don't get cocky. These men are professionals" Zero motioned. _"As I thought: He's not with them. Otherwise he would've already killed me. With him, I have a piece under my command"_

"It looks like they've got a signal jammer set up somewhere in the school ground" Elie continued as he chucked his gun. "So who are we facing? Left over Britannian troops or what?"

"Just some past ghost that came back to haunt me" Zero answered while adjusting his mask. "There seems to be only two of them but they've rigged this entire school with traps"

"Yeah… I triggered a few of them on my way here. The roadway from here to the courtyard is full of them"

Zero was grateful that he had an ally amidst this dark place. So at least now the board was even up in terms of strength and numbers. "Our primary enemy is stationed at the student council building near the boy's dorm at the northern edge of the school" he explained. "No doubt that he's probably set traps around it as well"

"Then you'll have to escape" Elie said suddenly which surprised the man. "I'll distract them and create a diversion around here. While they're busy with me you go around the east edge. You can go through the woods and into the city. There should be a Black Knight checkpoint there as well"

"You underestimate me, Elie" Zero laughed quietly trying not to alert his enemies to his position. "You think I would run away from such an easy battle then that would an insult to myself. (But) We're deep in enemy territory, surrounded on nearly every side and the enemy thinks that they caught me in their web…… and that's why… I'm going to win"

"But Zero. You're…"

"Don't worry. Just simply follow my orders exactly and we should be fine"

Elie was hesitant at first but decided to sigh with it. "Alright…" he said after a brief pause. "What are your orders, Zero?"

"That depends…… how are you with acting?"

"Huh?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jeremiah looked around frantically at the many TV screens that he placed in the student council meeting room that night. Each screen pinpointed 5 different cameras and each of them were observed very closely by his eyes which twitched from time to time. Thanks to the enhancement he had received from the experimental project Code-R, which gave him an abnormally high active electric potential and boosted his neural Philemons, his perception was without a doubt second to none. He could see ant mingle around the floor, the dust that pass through his face and even the stray gust of win could not escape his sights.

"Where is he?" he muttered while scrolling through the multiple channels. _"He couldn't have escaped. The entire campus is under complete watch. Could he have slipped through? No… that's impossible, even for Zero. He has to be a ghost just to even get through here. He must've form some sort of plan" _after scrolling through cameras for a few more minutes he suddenly got his wish. "Aha! There you are!" he spotted Zero and Elie on one of the TVs. "You fool. You don't even realize that I placed my own security around this school. Villetta (Yes?) Zero's been spotted at the auditorium. You can take him from behind but be careful… he seems to have an accomplice with him"

"A member of the Black Knights?"

"I don't know. But he looks skilled with a weapon"

"Understood. And if he hides inside then we'll just burn the building to the ground"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You understand the plan?" Zero said to Elie as they approached the auditorium door.

Elie nodded uncomfortably to him. "Yes… but are you sure it'll work? I mean… this is a bit far out"

"It will work" and without another word, Zero entered the auditorium room through the back door leaving a tired blonde boy behind to go on with his ridiculous plan. Once he was inside he noticed the place was lit just like every other building on campus.

The stage that he stood on felt nostalgic. The old plays and humorous memories that he made here with his old friends began playing back inside his head. During those times he was usually the star of the plays held here. But that was only because Milly ordered him to so that he could attract more people into the show for funding. He wasn't always the good guy. At times, he would portray as the evil villain or the handsome fiend that snatches the damsel. He didn't understand why at first, but Milly only said that he had the face of the villain or an evil mastermind of sort. And now he understood why…

But the boy quickly brushed off the thought as he knew there was still a plan that needed to be done. "Now let's see… where was the storage room where Nina put all of her dolls?"

When Villetta entered through the front entrance of the auditorium, she grunted again knowing well that Zero had probably set another trap for her. "Jeremiah… where is he?"

"Zero's in the stage storage room" the man replied. "But watch the upper floors. His collaborator is hiding there"

"Another collaborator huh?"

"Hold it right there!" came Elie's voice as he fired a barrage of bullets from the top floor catwalk. Villetta dodged them and hastily made her way to the control room. "Damn, she's a sneaky little snake"

When she got a good look at his figure, she suddenly became puzzled. Blonde hair, blue eyes and near pale white skin were surely not the trademarks of a Japanese citizen. _"What? A Britannian? That's impossible"_ she thought to herself before yelling out. "Hold your fire! I'm not your enemy?"

"Really…" the blonde boy replied sarcastically. "If you're not my enemy then why are you trying to kill Zero?"

"Tch! Who are you!?"

"I am Baron Elie Damon Deledantes, head of the Deledantes family of the land Kimbert and Greywood and captain of the 5th Regimental Guards of Nagashino of Area 11" he said in a calm and professional manner.

"Deledantes? A nobleman?" Villetta took a small peak at him with shock. "But if that's true then why are you an ally of Zero!?"

"Because I chose to do so…" he admitted a bit hesitantly. "And to who, am I speaking with?"

"Villetta Nu, sub captain of the 3rd Elite Knightmare division"

"3rd division? So that must mean that you're a member of the Pureblood Faction. I've heard of you a few times"

"That's right" Villetta shifted her position to a better fortified area near a mirror where she could see her opponent's nest location. "And I've heard about you, Elie… from the soldiers as well. You were once made a Knight of Honor to Prince Clovis, correct? But you abandoned that title during the urban renewal project at area Hokkaido. They called you the Blue Baron because of the Blue Knightmare that you ride around with. Your name made history at Area 12"

"Heh… that was two years ago" the boy laughed. "I was but a little brat back then who didn't know the real face of war. But now it's different"

"But you swore an oath to your country!"

"An oath that I kept!" the boy barked back defiantly. "When I fought with the Britannian army, I always thought that it was for the greater good of mankind! That I was fighting for a good cause for the empire! But that reason was betrayed! By that act of genocide carried out by Princess Euphemia! I served the empire for the benefit of the people not the slaughter of thousands! I would rather choose to live a life of crimes than to serve the royal family who kills for sport!"

"But aren't you a Britannian? (Yeah… so what?) If you're a Britannian then why are you helping Zero!? He was the one who killed our royal family, your comrades, and your friends! His crimes are no less harmful than what we've committed!"

"I know…" Elie held a drop of tear back. "Even during the last battle I killed many of my old comrades as well. But the crimes he has committed can't be compared to what Britannia has done" he paused for a moment and readjusted his aim towards the room. "The slaughter of all those innocent… is unforgivable!"

"Then you're a traitor to your own country!"

"Call me what you wish. It will not change what I have decided"

"Tch…"

"You heard the news didn't you?" Elie continued. "Britannia has signed a peace treaty with Japan and Prince Schneizel has recognized this country and even allowed its border to secede. If you kill Zero, it will cause an international incident. If you surrender, I can guarantee that you will be treated fairly"

"Like I'd trust the word of a traitor?"

"Whose words can you trust then?" he beckoned. "Your own? The Empire? Zero? Don't make me laugh. Even if you manage to succeed in killing Zero you won't be able to escape the Tokyo Settlement without being spotted by the Black Knights. You'll be killed right on the spot"

"Better that than to let a terrorist escape"

"Is that your final answer? If so…… then there's no point talking to you anymore"

"I agree…" Villetta shifted her gaze. "Talking with you will go nowhere. So then… good bye…" and with a press of a switch from her hand-pocket, the girl set off a bomb which was situated near the catwalk causing the entire platform to collapse.

"AHH!!!" Elie fell to the ground two stories high and felt that he had dislocated his shoulder. "Damn it. I should've seen that one coming" but as the fire from the explosion caught wind with the stage curtains, the auditorium slowly began to turn into a living hell. "Son of a…" he began firing at Villetta's direction, trying to pin her down while he crawled out. "Damn… that's all the time I could buy. I'd better get out of here" once he was able to stand on his own two feet, he rushed towards the entrance.

"Tch… he's quick" Villetta groaned.

"Villetta" Jeremiah called in from the radio. "Zero's been spotted at the road between the cafeteria and the student council building"

"Trying to sneak away while his underlings do all the work for him huh?" the girl gritted her teeth. "Well… it's not going to stop me"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Jeremiah watched Zero slowly make his way towards the student council building on one of the cameras, he couldn't help but notice that something seemed rather off. The man should know that the most obvious route would be rigged with traps and that going through there would make it impossible even for an ant to crawl through without getting scorched. But nonetheless. He had his chance now… and right when Zero stepped onto an X mark on the floor, the madman grinned. "I have you now! ZERO!!!!" but right before he could activate his traps, the power suddenly turned out cutting off the feed from all the cameras. "WHAT!? What's happening!? My monitors!"

Slowly one by one the computer screens and electronic lights around the campus began to dim out. Seeing this sudden turn of events disrupt his chain of control, Jeremiah gritted his teeth and hastily made his way towards the entrance of the student council building with a gun in hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero smiled inwardly to himself as he saw this. "As I expected: the school power generator is in the proximity of the Gefjun Disturber that I set up. With it, that man won't be able to monitor my movements or activate his traps… and now… I think I'll set one of my own. You'll soon learn the folly of challenging me in my own ground and in my own game, Jeremiah Gottwald"

**(Government bureau) (Commander's room)**

"…" an empty voice echoed in the silent chambers of the room. A few caring words whispered in the air, a soft brush of the cheek and a slim touch of the flesh gently moved towards one side of the room to another and another as if lost from the throat of the one who once held its calming sounds.

"Yes, I'm just as surprised as you are…" C2 replied to the voice even though no one was there.

"……"

"Yes, I never actually expected his rebellion to actually succeed but he managed to pull it off nonetheless. And thanks to him the world is now going through a small upheaval. Riots are breaking everywhere and everyone is following Zero's example fighting an enemy that they now know that can be beaten"

"……"

"You sound displeased. Doesn't he remind you of your husband: A cunning and ruthless man who hides behind the guise of truth and deceit?" but then she was interrupted from her conversation when a knock came through the door.

Knock knock…

"Zero, it's me, Kallen" Kallen knocked twice on the door of the commander's room with another tray of pizza in hand. Apparent had ordered another one sent up to the room and like last time, Kallen volunteered to bring it. It wasn't because she wanted to give it to C2, it was because she needed a reason to go there. Every time she tried to knock on the door, she would immediately pause her hand and think of what a perfect reason would be to visit the commander's room. She couldn't just say 'I came here to visit' or else she would be labeled as a weird girl. She also had an image to keep up as Captain of the Zero Squad and Zero's personal Elite guard. "I brought pizza"

"It's open" C2's voice spoke back.

When Kallen entered the room she noticed that only the green haired witch was present. "Uh hey, where's Zero?"

"Out partying I guess" she replied sarcastically. "He was bored cooped up in this room for so long that he left"

"Did you know where he went?"

"Why?" the green haired witch perked. "Was his handkerchief not enough for you… Sniffer?"

Kallen grew a shade of red on her cheeks. "Geh! Stop calling me that!"

"Why? The name does fit you after all. By the way, do you intend to return it to him any time soon?" C2 grinned. "That handkerchief was given to him by a very important person. He's bound to look for it eventually"

"A very important person?"

"Yes…" C2 noted a somewhat jealous expression from Kallen which only made her grin even more. "Oh come on now. You should just confess to him already"

"Wh… what do you mean by confess!?" the pilot of the Guren barked back while placing the pizza tray on the table between the two champagne bottle that were still left unopened since her last visit.

"That heartfelt expression on your face just now tells of a woman that has grown a childish love" she explained. "Quite curious isn't it? Falling for a man whose face you don't even know. There are three signs that tell of a person's love"

"Quit saying weird stuff like that! It's not like that at all!"

"The first sign of course is denial" C2 continued, counting Kallen's embarrassed expression as one. "Followed by a gushing steam of cute cuddly anger and blushing cheeks"

"Would you quit it!? I have half a mind to whack you out with this bottle!"

"Oh how cute. Threatening me with a bottle of champagne. You know. If you and I had a cat fight right here and Zero walked in, he might get the wrong impression of what we're doing" her sly expression reminded Kallen a lot about Milly and what she would usually do to her during their private bath time a long time ago.

Finally irritated by the witch's semantics the red head decided to do the only thing that she knew that would make C2 frown in anger. With one motion of her hand, she pulled out the cork from one of the wine bottles and poured it onto the pizza all the while grinning at the green haired girl. "Enjoy your pizza…" she said before leaving.

"That was cruel" C2 said boringly after the door closed. "I haven't even got to the third stage"

**(Ashford Academy) (Student council building) (Outside)**

Jeremiah later arrived outside the student council building his sweat pouring all over and his eyes slightly bulging from their sockets. But just as he got out he was immediately fired upon by Zero himself who stood where he last him on the computer monitor.

"ZERO!!!" the green haired knight dodged and hid behind one of the pillars that held the student council building. "I found you! At last we meet face to face!"

"Jeremiah Gottwald" Zero spoke back not moving an inch from the X marked spot that Jeremiah set for him. "How annoying it is to see you alive and well again. You seem to be a phantom that just refuses to die. It seems that killing you twice at Narita and Tokyo wasn't enough. Now I find myself gazing upon the same man from when I met during the execution of Suzaku Kururugi. How nostalgic"

"And that was the first time I gazed upon your mask. The mask that was to destroy my existence in this world. Oh how I hate you…… Lelouch. Why don't you take off that mask and show your face?"

"Hehehe… so you know my identity as well?" Zero chuckled.

"Not only that, but I know your hidden power as well! That eye! That Geass! The thing that bent my will on that very day! I will pry it from your head and take it as my trophy!"

"Really? That sounds distasteful for a man of your caliber. Besides… it's equal judgment don't you think? (Huh?) You knew that Suzaku was innocent yet you were planning on killing him to further the cause of the Pureblood faction. He wasn't even going to get a fair trial from court" he paused for a moment and allowed himself to laugh. "From my opinion it seems that the punishment I gave was justly given. Your reputation sank, your title stripped and the faction which you created was disbanded upon Cornelia's arrival. All you have to live for now… is regret and vengefulness, isn't that right… Orange Boy…"

Jeremiah grinded his teeth together so hard that it almost sounded like he was trying to sharpen them. "Z… z… ZERO!!! THERE IS NO VENGEFULNESS IS MY HEART!!! ALL THAT REMAINS IS TRUE LOYALTY!!!" in a blind fit of rage and anger, the man rushed out from his hidden position and dashed towards Zero at a near inhumane speed.

"How I hate to hear that" Zero pointed his gun at him. "What could the emperor had possibly done to deserve such loyalty?" he didn't reply so Zero simply began firing. But to his surprise, Jeremiah was able to dodge the remaining bullets in his clip to get close enough to tackle him down to the ground.

"I got you!" Jeremiah stated in his insane tone. "Now I got you right where I want you!! Let me see your face and I'll rip that pathetic eye from your… huh?" but the moment he was able to rip Zero's mask off, he soon realized that it was nothing more than one of his own mannequin, with a small speaker placed in its mouth. "W… wha!? H… how…?" only the mask and the cloak that surrounded Zero was all that was needed to fool Jeremiah into believing that he was actually talking to Zero.

"An excellent performance" Lelouch suddenly appeared from one of the tree lines holding a small wireless microphone on his neck. "My greatest act yet if I may say so myself"

"You! You used a doll to pretend to be you and lured me with your clothing"

"Yes… one of the oldest trick in the book" Lelouch nodded before pulling out a hand size switch from his pocket. "Everything was easily made from equipments from the Drama Club. Elie bought me enough time to make them and by cutting off the power I was able to switch myself before you arrived, which is exactly about one minute twenty-two seconds. As much as I like to catch up on good old times Orange Boy it seems like I don't have time. (Zero!!!) Goodbye… Jeremiah Gottwald" the moment he pressed the button, Jeremiah noticed that there was an old classic plastic C4 bomb planted at the chest of the mannequin.

Boom!

The bomb exploded and Jeremiah was caught in the blast at pointblank. With this, Lelouch knew that even a man like Jeremiah couldn't withstand such a blast. His body probably got torn to pieces and if by some miracle if he does survive, the fire would probably melt him into nothingness.

"You were a worthy foe Jeremiah" Lelouch said in recognition of the man. "But challenging me into a game of wits was undoubtedly your own undoing"

"Commander Zero!" Elie suddenly appeared from the back after hearing the explosion. He was able to recognize the boy by his cloth but to his surprise his mask was gone. "Uh…" he turned to look away hoping not to catch a glimpse of the unmasked leader.

"There's no need to look away Elie" Lelouch beckoned him. "You've proven to me that you are worthy of looking at my face"

"But…"

"It's alright. You have my approval…" Elie was hesitant at first but after gathering all his courage he turned his eyes up to look at the man who once bore the mask of Zero. "Huh? You're… a highschooler? But… you don't even look older than me…"

Lelouch expected the boy to have a surprised expression and was glad that he was right. "Surprised?"

"Shocked…" he admitted with his expression unchanged. "Who would've thought that the leader of the Black Knights who brought the Britannian army to their knees was actually just a school boy? And a Britannian himself no less"

"Is that disappointment I hear?"

"N… no not really. I just thought that you'd be a lot older than me. But… what's with your eye?"

Lelouch then remembered that his Geass was still out of control. He covered it and waved it off. "It's nothing to be concerned of. We should probably move out too" he deducted from the sound of moving wheels coming from the distance. "The sound of the explosion will most likely draw troops from the city. Did you disable the jammer as I asked?"

"Of course. It was right where you said it would be. I also unlocked the main entrance. We should probably go with the Knightmare and… huh?" but his eyes suddenly caught glimpse of a figure appearing by the fire. "What!?"

"Lelouch!!!" Jeremiah yelled to the top of his burnt lungs as he walked out of the burning inferno. His entire body was crisp like an overcooked turkey, his skin was dark beyond recognition but his head was protected by the effects of Zero's own fireproof cape. "I will… I will kill you!"

"No way!" Lelouch blurted in shock. "That's impossible! You couldn't have survived that explosion, it's just not possible!" Elie quickly rushed in forward and aimed his assault rifle at the man while putting Lelouch behind him making himself as a human shield. "Are you even human!?"

"You're the one… who will talk here!" Jeremiah grunted as he forced his body to continue to move with every ounce of strength he could find in his body. "Because I have…… geh… my reasons. I'm resolved to see my loyalty through!"

Elie was also surprised to see the man walking out of a bombshell and managed to live a few more minutes to tell about it. "Don't move Jeremiah!" he barked out with his hands slightly quivering.

"I must know the truth for certain once and for all!" Jeremiah continued to make his way even though his body slowly stumbling around.

"But how!?" Lelouch took a step back. "You shouldn't be alive! That bomb was powerful enough to take out a tank!"

"Why Lelouch!?" Jeremiah asked, his movements slowed with every step. "Why did you adopt the mask of Zero!? Why did you turn against your homeland and becoming an enemy of the emperor as a result!? Why!?"

"I said don't move!" Elie was now ready to pull the trigger until Lelouch finally decided to answer the man's dying question. He took a deep breath and spoke carefully with determination held in every word.

"I did it… because I am Lelouch vi Britannia!" the name alone rung heavily on both Britannian soldiers. When it echoed into their heads Jeremiah stopped and Elie's eyes widened as he looked back at the boy whom he only knew as Zero. While they remained in a paused motion, the exiled prince continued. "My father, the Britannian emperor allowed my mother to be killed… in so doing… he stole my sister, Nunnally's sight, her legs… and our futures from us!" the memory of that eventful day then began to play back in his mind. The time when he heard gunshots coming from the mansion main staircase and the death of his mother bleeding on the steps… it was a haunting experience.

"It… can't be…"

When the words finally sunk into their heads, Jeremiah was the first to speak out of his trance and pain. "I know…" he said with sadness. "I remember because I was there too!"

Lelouch caught his words by uncertainty. "Ugh… y… you were?"

"My first assignment: To guard her… Lady Marianne… whom I loved… and respected!" he fell on his burnt knees as he spoke, blood slowly trickling down his throat. "But I failed to carry through with that loyalty! I… I just wasn't able to protect her!"

Elie lowered his gun, when a sudden realization came through his head. "So that's why you founded the Purebloods then"

"Master Lelouch" Jeremiah was now grabbing the dirt on the floor now as tears ran down his eyes. As he thought deep and hard and added everything together with the true identity of Zero, it was finally all clear to him. As he looked back at the young prince he felt as if chunks of scales had just fallen off his eyes revealing the gentle truth behind the whole war. "My lord… everything is becoming clear now" he extended his arm as if he was trying to reach him. "You became Zero for the sake of Lady Marianne, didn't you!?"

Lelouch gasped but as he searched his memories from his childhood he began remembering seeing green haired guard somewhere along the garden of Aries Villa. "But… if you didn't come here for revenge then what are you trying to do?"

"I don't serve the empire, my lord" he replied with a heartfelt smile on his face. "I follow only one (inhale) It's Lady Marianne……… Now… I can finally die… without regrets"

"Lord Jeremiah!" Lelouch hastily dashed off, brushing Elie away.

"W… wait! Zero" the blonde soldier pleaded.

Jeremiah was glad to able to see his prince grow into a fine man. In his heart and mind he could still remember how the young master would play in the garden where he personally took charge of protecting. He recalled the time when he brought a gift from one of the guests which was a giant hat fit for Lady Marianne. It was probably the only time when he was able to interact with the lady consort but by god he enjoyed every second of it. But when Marianne tried it on, Nunnally appeared out from the back and asked to try it on even though she knew it would only cover her entire head.

Lelouch was there too begging for Nunnally to behave but the young girl refused and kept trying on the hat by adjusting her long chestnut hair to fit it. Jeremiah remembered laughing that time along with her highness and saw how unfit Lelouch was at that time. He could barely even make a hundred meter dash for five minutes before succumbing to fatigue.

"My… my prince…" as those old memories came through Jeremiah held his hand onto the boy's face and smiled inwardly to himself.

"Jeremiah Gottwald, listen…" Lelouch begged. "Your steadfast loyalty is still desperately needed here. If I had only known about this earlier I would never have done this to you. Just because you know the truth doesn't mean that you can die peacefully. There is still much to be done and I need your skills and dedication now more than ever…"

"Prince Lelouch…… I only wish I could do so…"

"You will!" he snapped at the dying man. "You must! You died twice already and you've returned all the same! You must live Jeremiah! Not for my sake alone but for my mother as well. Now that you know the truth you must take action to avenge her! You must prove your loyalty! So I order you! I am ordering you as the royal heir to Britannia: You must not die! You still have a reason to live… isn't that right!?"

It was then Jeremiah's eye widened as his willpower returned to his body. He felt every fiber of his muscles slowly returning and his life force numbing away the pain. "Indeed……… I will live……… I will not die this day! Yes… your majesty…"

"Elie, call headquarters and tell them to send a paramedic here now!"

"Uh…" the boy twiddled on his phone. "Y… yes of course…"

"Jeremiah, keep your will power strong and save your energy. I still need you here" the prince begged.

"Of course……" but when Jeremiah nodded, his eye suddenly caught a glimpse of Villetta suddenly appearing out of the ruins of the auditorium. She probably doesn't know about Lelouch's true identity so she didn't hesitate to pull a gun at him. "Villetta!?"

"Zero!" the silver haired girl yelled out. "This time you're finished!"

Bang!

In that split moment, everything went so fast, but for Lelouch time seemed to have slowed for him. Like someone had pressed the slow motion button on a movie player of some sort. He could even see the bullet that was coming right at him but he could not dodge it. As it slowly approached him, a pair of burnt hands pushed him away.

"Your majesty, no!!!" Jeremiah took the bullet willingly and with it his body slumped to the ground like a sack of meat being thrown away.

This action of course seemed to have confused Villetta. "Lord Jeremiah? But why did you?" she wasn't able to finish when Elie fired his gun at her.

"You filthy wench!!" he barked out angrily with pissed off face. Villetta knew then that the Black Knights were coming so instead of facing them, she turned and ran. "Gahhh!!! Come back here you little!"

"Don't chase her! We have more pressing matters to attend to!" Lelouch called to him grabbing Jeremiah by his shoulder. He then took out a key shaped object from his pocket and tossed it to the boy. "Go! My Knightmare should still be outside by the main entrance. The code number is Q1-C2-K-A-T-N-C-S-C-M"

A/N: The code numbers are hints of all the girls that will be in this harem story of Lelouch (Evil Laugh) Hint: The first letters of every girl's name.

"But…"

"We have no time to argue! GO!!"

"Right…" the boy nodded and hastily made his way to the front entrance.


	6. The Birth of the United States of Japan

**Chapter 6: The Birth of the United States of Japan**

**(Tokyo Settlement) (Government bureau) (Elie's room) (07:20 AM)**

Elie woke up rather early that morning at the government bureau. It wasn't because an early bird or something, he never liked waking up early because his work time usually comes on at night. The reason why he woke up was because he had a nightmare of some sort. He couldn't remember it specifically but he knew that it had to something with fire and death of millions. The screams of the innocents rung clear in his head and how they were killed was hopelessly beyond him.

As he scanned around he soon realized that he was back in his room within the higher floors of the government bureau. He looked around slightly puzzled as his memories seemed feint and unclear. Perhaps the few bottles of beer stashed neatly on the side of the room held the answer to his major headache. Not long after taking a few tablets of aspirin, he went to his personal bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.

He was slightly confused, but the bottles of beer were a clear sign of why he was having such a hard time remembering yesterday's event. The boy probably must've drank so much that he knocked himself clean off the slate. He wasn't usually accustomed to beer, hell he was barely even fit to be in the drinking age. But there definitely had to be a good reason why he drank so much. Whenever he had a bad experience, alcohol was always the key to numbing the pain. Whatever it was that happened yesterday he definitely wouldn't to remember it.

But that hope was left behind when he remembered the pain of his dislocated shoulder bone. He flinched back a little bit but in an instant, the past memories slowly began to resurface on his brain.

**(Last Night) (Knightmare hanger bay)**

Elie was starring off at his Blue Sutherland that night after his return from the school death trap at Ashford Academy. After riding Zero's Knightmare through the walls of the academy he quickly picked up both Jeremiah and Lelouch from the ground and escaped through the back door before the Black Knights had a chance to spot them. He couldn't tell what was happening but all he knew was that he had to follow orders no matter what.

By the time he arrived at the government bureau, C2 was already waiting for them at the back entrance with a new mask and a new cape ready for Lelouch.

Jeremiah was later rushed to the infirmary under Zero's direct command. Though many were confused at first why Zero wanted to save the life of his once mortal enemy they did not question him the moment he used he Geass on the medics.

A few minutes later after Elie thought through what just happened, the emergency door suddenly whistled open revealing Lelouch now dressed in a new Zero suit. Of course his presence alone was daunting and the moment he stepped into the room it felt as if everything had gone dark. "Y… your highne… I mean… Zero…" the boy stuttered in his words.

"I'm surprised you're still up" Zero commented while standing next to the boy. "I thought that with the sudden rush of information going through your head, you would've been sleeping in you room already"

"I wouldn't be able to sleep even if I tried. But is it true? (Hmm?) That you're really a…" he stopped mid-sentence when Zero place a palm in front of his face.

"You should not say such things so openly" he urged him. "There's no telling who's listening and who's watching"

Elie paused at first but nodded in agreement. "Y… yeah you're right. Sorry. So… how is he? Jeremiah, I mean…" he shifted trying to change the topic.

"He's stabilized now according to the doctors. But due to the damage done to his body, I doubt that he'll live past next week"

"He won't make it then…" Elie sadly looked at the floor.

"Don't worry. I had Rakshata take care of him. Her skills in medical cybernetics should bring him back to life"

"I see…"

"You sound disappointed" Zero noticed he wasn't really worried about Jeremiah but rather than the situation itself. "Does it displease you, that I'm not who you thought I was?"

"Well…" Elie rubbed the back of his head quite strongly as if having difficulty finding the words to say. "You could say it was the last thing I expected"

"About my identity being a Britannian… or my status as a member of the royal family? Which has shocked you more?"

"Both actually" he answered looking down on the foot of his Sutherland. "When I add everything up together… the pieces of the puzzle doesn't seem to match. Nothing seems to fit into place and now I find myself in question of my own actions. I thought that by performing this deed of betrayal, I dismissed by loyalty to the empire and break my chains from the royal family. But now… here I am standing again in the very same chain I hoped to rid myself of without even knowing it"

Zero smiled at this as he saw the confused look and pained expression run down Elie's face. "I understand your pain well. Being unable to break free from the bonds that held you, to torment the days of life without meaning, an existence held by the hands of another. You can hardly call it anything but life. Day to day you would simply follow the system that was created as if you were a zombie"

"Yeah… but that is how peace is achieved"

"Peace through a system of class? That's the peace of slavery" Zero snapped. "It's true. A system of equality is a feat of near impossibility. There are those who were born as kings… and those unfortunate who are born as lowly commoners. It's sad to speak of this but… no one has a say in which family they wish to live in. They could only dream and imagine what they wished to be" he then looked back at him and saw the tired black shade around his eyes. "Get some sleep. We can discuss about this at another time"

"Y… yes sir…"

**(Present)**

"_That's right…"_ as memories began to clog his mind once again, Elie lowered himself as he felt like puking all the information out. _"Zero is…… Lelouch vi Britannia. The eldest son of the late-consort and 3__rd__ wife to Emperor Charles zi Britannia, Empress Marianne vi Britannia, the one who was killed by a terrorist force seven years ago at Aries Villa" _he splashed water onto his face trying to get himself to wake up. "And he's doing this… all for the sake of his mother? Haa… nothing makes sense anymore. Even if I try to fit all the pieces in, a huge gap still remains in between. All I can do is imagine what kind of thing goes on and move on just like another soldier"

He was later interrupted when his communicator began to ring. He placed it on his ear and allowed the speaker to go on. "Captain Elie"

"Yes?" he replied while getting he was checking through his closet which he realized was full of old Britannian military uniforms.

"You're requested at the hanger bay. Your Sutherland is repaired and ready"

"Right, I'll be off on my patrol routine then. A supply escort mission, correct?"

"Yes. The duration of this mission is approximately two hours"

"Good. Have my Knightmare deployed with the rest of the Titan squad. I'll be there shortly"

"Yes sir"

**(Commander's room)**

"So… he saw your face then?" C2 asked as she juggled Zero's mask into the air like a simple toy.

"Yes. He has proven himself" Lelouch answered while replacing the bandage on the wound he received on his shoulder yesterday. "The fact that he hasn't revealed my identity is proof of his loyalty. If I had a choice I would've used my Geass on him to forget everything about me, but it was too late. Besides… he saved my life from that death trap. If it weren't for him, Villetta would've already killed me"

"But doesn't that give him an edge over you? What if he does reveal your identity? What would you do then?"

"If he does reveal my identity in any way then I'll have to dispose of him as a burden. But I doubt that'll happen" Lelouch smirked.

"You seem so sure of yourself" C2 smirked back.

"That boy… though he is skillful in Knightmare combat and talented in tactical knowledge… he lacks the determination and confidence about life. You could say that he's the same as Ohgi… they both have the skill but lack the courage to do so"

"And you still intend to make him your apprentice?"

"Of course… I will need a new second in command and he fits the bill perfectly. Ohgi may have the trust of the people but he lacks many vital traits" after he finished cleaning his wound he quickly picked his phone and dialed a familiar number on the speed dial.

"Who are you calling?"

"I just want to make sure that no one will need to worry about my disappearance. I wouldn't want Nunnally to worry either"

"Are you sure sending her back to the homeland would be a good idea?"

Lelouch nodded. "Yes. Since the Britannian forces are now focused on the Great Uprising in different Areas, they'll be too busy to notice one girl pass through their checkpoints. Heh. I guess the saying: The closer you are to danger, the further you are from harm; rings perfectly here, don't you agree?"

**(Safe Zone Airport)**

The Britannian relief force that had come to retrieve the POWs of the new Japan had arrived just a few hours ago at the airport of the old Japan Special Zone that day. Once the peace treaty was announced to the entire nation, the airport became a place where the Britannian army would ferry the populace of their people back to their homeland where they can be reunited with their friends and families.

Milly and the others of course were no exception as they were simply students of the country and not diplomats. As they watched as the people slowly boarded the plane that would take them safely across the country, Rivalz phone began to ring. "Huh?" He picked it up and immediately upon reading the name his eyes suddenly widened. "Wha!? No way" he then answered it and barked. "Lelouch, is that you!?"

"Hey there Rivalz" Lelouch replied weakly as if putting himself into character. "Are you alright?"

"Forget about me you idiot! Where are you right now!? Do you know how worried the others are!?" he then quickly motioned to his prez and his close friends that were present there. "Hey! Prez, Shirley, Nunnally, over here! I got in contact with Lelouch!"

"What? Lelouch!?" Milly ran towards him and snatched the phone with great haste. "Lelouch, where are you!? Are you safe?! Why haven't you called us until now!? Do you know how worried we are!?"

"Sorry to worry you. I was planning to get to school but the earthquake earlier made my head spin. Where are you guys anyway? Are you somewhere safe?"

The president sighed. "We're at the Japan Special Zone in Kyoto right now" she answered him. "The Britannian military have sent relief aids and we're being transported back to the homeland. What about you? Where are you?"

"I……" he paused for a moment making the conversation look a little dramatic. "I'm currently in the government bureau right now"

"The bureau!?" Milly gasped followed by the others. "You mean the headquarters of the Black Knights? What are you doing there and…" she then recalled the time when Zero visited them after the liberation of Area 11. "Are… are you a… alright?"

Lelouch let out a forced chuckle as he replied. "I guess you could say that. I got wounded during the attack but I'm alright now. They're taking care of me. (But…) I'm sorry but I can't talk for very long. There are guards watching me at the moment. I need to ask you a favor Milly (Huh?) Please… take care of Nunnally for me. I can't protect her where I am now and you're the only person who I can rely on. So please. Do it for me… I… I don't think I can live on without her"

Milly was surprised. She never once thought that Lelouch was capable of such passionate words. For a long time she always wanted to find his weakness, searching through for the chink on his armor in a way to embarrass or humiliate him. But now she realized that his only kryptonite was his sister. "Yeah…" she said finally. "Don't worry about it… I promise you that"

"Thank you. Can you please… put Nunnally on for a minute?"

"Uh… of course…" Milly then placed the phone on Nunnally's hands and gently allowed her to put on her ear.

"H… hello…?" the girl spoke in her soft yet scared tone.

"Nunnally…" the moment she heard her brother's voice echo in the phone, every joyful senses in Nunnally's body began to sparkle as her closed eyes began to well up in tears.

"Oh Lelouch, it is you! I was so worried that you might've been hurt"

"Heh… you won't get rid of me that easily" he humored with a small chuckle. "Listen… Nunnally… there's something I need to talk to you…"

"What is it big brother?"

"I… I'm going to be gone for awhile"

"What? What are you saying, Lelouch?" Nunnally spoke puzzled by his words.

Lelouch breathed for a minute. He had talked to hundreds of people before but talking to Nunnally was perhaps the hardest for him. He couldn't lie to her. That was the truth so he had to make it sound like a different kind of story while at the same time not to give in too much info of his identity. "I… I'm currently at the government bureau with the Black Knights…"

"The Black Knights?" she gasped fearing the worst. "Are you a hostage?"

"No of course not. But I can't exactly leave either. Zero found me and… I…"

"Lelouch… does Zero know about you? About us?"

The boy paused for a second and nodded. "Yes… yes he does… which is the very reason why I called you. Zero may know who I am but I don't know if he knows about you. So… that's why I must ask you… to dismiss me as a stranger. (But Lelouch!) Please Nunnally, just listen. It's necessary for your protection. Milly will protect you in my stead. She'll take care of you, I promise you that. Just follow my lead and you must make sure that you do not refer to me in any way. But out of everything that's happen Nunnally. No matter how far apart we may be. No matter how many obstacles are in my way. I promise that I will come for you. I swear it. So… until then… until then…"

"Lelouch, please, you can't!"

"I love you Nunnally!"

"Lelouch!" but before Nunnally could even return her feelings back Lelouch had already hung up leaving only but a tottering sound to replace his warm heartfelt voice. "Lelouch…"

**(Government bureau) (Commander's room)**

Lelouch held the back of his heart as he violently slammed his phone to the ground, breaking it into pieces. Talking to his sister took a lot more willpower than he had hoped and he didn't even need to act it. All the words came through his heart and if felt as if it took all of his energy to say those words to her. "Geh!"

"Perhaps you should rest now" C2 recommended. "It's been a total of six days already since you've gone without sleep. The adrenaline booster you administer to yourself will only suspend your body even more"

"No… not yet" the boy grasped himself trying to reform his 2 layered mask. "If I stop now then Japan will crumble and war will start up all over again. I must endure this until my body gives out"

"You really are pushing yourself pass your limit, you know that?"

"It's called determination" he corrected. "Are you coming?"

"Yes, yes… I'm coming…"

**(Rakshata's lab)**

"How's our little setup?" asked Rakshata Chawla, the leader of the Black Knights research and development (R&D) division to her assistants. Ever since Zero returned with the severely wounded body of Jeremiah Gottwald she had been tasked to using all her knowledge on medical cybernetics to revive the man.

In front of her stood a tank which held the said man floating in a large quanitity of liquid. Pipes of different sizes were systematically plugged to his body, forcefully injecting strange alien liquid into his veins, a mask covering his face provided sufficient air for him to breath and small robotic devices tingled with his burnt skin as if taking those which were dead off before they could infect the rest of his body.

The two scientists that were working under Rakshata nodded back to her as they explained the details of what they've learned to their superior. "Yes. We've placed him inside an Ozone tank just as you asked. So far he's responding well to the nanomachine that are repairing his internal organs. But still. Why did Zero order him to be part of this experiment?"

"Don't know" the Indian scientist shrugged it off as if it didn't matter to her at all. "All that I know is that Zero ordered this"

"But… madam… even so… no one has ever survived the process of a full scale robotification. It's true that we can replace a limb or two with this technology but if we put too much it will strain the heart of the subject"

"Yes I know. That's the very reason why I don't like talking about the past. Those old puffers from the W.H.O. (World Health Organization) were the ones that scrapped my project"

"You mean the one that you planned?"

"Yes" Rakshata nodded. "An army… of super soldiers. Oh how dreamy it would be to see wave upon wave of mindless drones walking and working without question. If I had my way, I would've made a legion of these cyborgs"

"But didn't the W.H.O. had a good reason?" the second assistant spoke up. "They tried going in with your plans by using a live test subject but as we expected, the strain on the heart was too much and it killed the man instantly. No test subject no matter how healthy they are can pass up to phase three. Even Kulas and…" be was quickly stopped when he suddenly blurted out the name of the subject.

The first assistant whacked his partner with a clipboard "You idiot! Don't you ever learn!? You shouldn't say that name!!"

"Uh… sorry… a slip of the tongue"

"Like I said… I don't really like talking about the past" Rakshata's face looked rather annoyed which was a complete change of her character. As all the preparations were done she quickly approach the tank to see if the test subject was holding out. "Alright. That should be sufficient. His arms and legs seemed to have been damaged but they're replaceable. Proceed with phase two: Insert the nanobots into his organs and inject interfazer"

"Are we still continuing?"

"We don't have much of a choice now do we? Zero wants him back so I may as well do my best. Even if it fails he should know that it was the result"

"O… of course…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At the command center of the government bureau, the leaders and the original members of the Black Knights had assembled just as Zero ordered. With Japan finally liberated and the celebration given, it was time to tackle on the hardest part…… the reconstruction of the nation. But little did they know that it was going to be longer and a lot more difficult than they had hoped.

As the room was silent at the time, Zero himself was busy reading a file of papers that were stashed on his seat. It was filled with all the detail of the resources that Japan had in its disposal. Military supplies, food generation, medical stations, factories, manpower and so on and so forth. "I see… so this is all that we have?" he asked Kaguya who stood at the center of the formation who nodded back in reply.

"Yes. This is everything that we have at the moment. The other cities have agreed to join up but order has broken down during the rebellion"

"Society is also crumbling" Ohgi added. "There are several rebel guerilla factions that refuse to drop their weapons"

"They must've gotten used to the power they possess and do not wish to relinquish it" Zero deducted carefully using basic human psychology. "This is troublesome. If this goes on then a civil war will be inevitable. We will have to restore order as quickly as possible if this country is to prosper once more"

"We've dispatched several squads to quell them" Tohdoh explained. "If they see the might of the Black Knights, they will surely surrender to our troops without resistance. I've already confirmed with several other factions who are willing to give us their stash of weapons in return for protection"

"Yes, but still…" Ohgi looked a little dejected. "Our forces are already spread too thin thanks to the final battle with Britannia. We're cutting off our guards and patrol units in half just to deliver protection to the outlying countryside"

"We have several new recruits as well, but most of them are just militia forces. What should we do now Zero? If this goes on, the Japan we built will crumble sooner than it was made"

As Zero analyzed his situation he found that rebuilding a country was actually a lot easier than fighting a war. Though there was a time limit, he found that allocating resources and men to different areas was very efficient. With but a small thought of it alone he was able to construct a chain command link which would ultimately restore civil society back to the country and stabilize its economy with in record time. He checked and double checked it again and found no fault to his own master-plan.

"Wait a minute" Diethard intervened. "I know that reconstructing Japan is a big deal but if we focused everything on rebuilding, Britannia could strike at us at any moment. I'm not saying that rebuilding isn't our top priority, but if we simply dig in we will find ourselves surrounded by enemies in no time. We can' remain idle forever"

"Diethard" Zero looked to his media man. "Not everything can be accomplished by military force"

"Even so, we still need to know what our next goal is"

"Our next goal, or are you saying my next goal?" he chuckled inwardly. "But if you must know, I plan on moving to the Chinese Federation. (What?!) They're the second largest federation rivaling against Britannia and they are boasted to be the largest population housing in the entire world. Right now Japan is currently on a weakened state and resources will be necessary to rebuild it. For that we will need the Chinese Federation's aid. Negotiation will be done on a later time" he threw a small glance at Diethard which clearly showed a message of his intent of why he was taking such actions.

"Of course" Diethard said finally with a small grin up his face. "Understood, Zero…"

"We will focus all of our power in rebuilding Japan" he said finally which seemed to have surprised the group. "If stability isn't inserted then things will go hectic once again. So listen carefully and listen to my plan. It'll only be a temporary measure but nonetheless it will be the foundation of the country"

"Right…"

"Tohdoh. You will continue to ensure protection to the neighboring cities and at the mean time, you will begin constructing the military force of the United States of Japan"

"Military force?" Tohdoh inquired. "You mean expand the Black Knights?"

"No. You will build a separate force" Zero corrected. "There are many who idolize the Black Knights but there are few who still lack confidence in us as a whole. The remnants of the Japan Liberation Fronts and the other larger rebel factions will gladly join you in remaking the new force. The Black Knights will provide arms and supplies in creating it. As of this moment, you are dimissed from the Black Knights"

"Very well then" Tohdoh nodded accepting his mission.

When Kyoshiro was silent, Zero continued turning to his Deputy Commander. "Kaname Ohgi. (Y… yeah?) You will be in charge of reconstruction and relief aid. Priority constructions will be housing areas and production centers. Secondary targets are educational centers and hospitals. Lord Kirihara and the former members of Kyoto will aid you with their own connections. With the amount of fame from them and their knowledge of history, restoring the Japanese culture should be a breeze"

"Uh… ok then…"

"Diethard. (Yes Zero…) You will work with Kaguya to provide logistical aid and information sources to the people and the Black Knight troops. Once Tokyo Settlement is up and running we can begin repairing the ghettos around the country"

"Me?" Kaguya asked.

"Yes, Ms. Sumeragi. Once the restoration of Japan is in order I will install you into the society as the new Prime Minister of the United States of Japan. You have the charisma and the knowledge to lead the nation"

"But wouldn't it be better to have someone who the people trust? What about you instead?"

"I'm a commander" Zero explained. "I have led the people and liberated Britannia. Installing myself in the system would only make me look like a dictator. And besides… I'm not Japanese either. So far only the high chain command of the Black Knights know about this but it will be no doubt that this information will be leaked. The people will never come to trust a foreign man, which is another reason why I chose you to be the leader here Ms. Sumeragi. (Huh?) Did you forget? You are my public face after all… are you not?" Kaguya blushed and twiddled her thumbs together on this as the man brought out the topic on their little promise. But Zero did not notice the annoyed notion he was getting from Kallen. "This operation will probably be long but I have no doubt that we can pull it through. You all have your orders. Dismiss"

"Yes sir!"

But just before Zero left the room, Ohgi suddenly blurted out. "Uh wait a minute Zero. (Hmm?) Sorry… but… the gang and I were just wondering. If we could have a group picture. (Group picture?) Yeah with everyone in it" Ohgi nodded. "I was thinking of having a little memorial photo for everyone. You know… just the first original members of the group"

"Is that really necessary?" Zero questioned a bit coldly.

"Of course it is, master Zero!" Kaguya agreed happily. "A photo for your very first victory! It would make a marvelous souvenir for everyone around!" a chain of agreements followed afterwards by the original members of the group. Inoue, Yoshida, Sugiyama, Kallen and of course even Tamaki were agreeing to it. But to Zero's surprise, even Tohdoh seemed to have a hint of agreement to this.

Seeing that the overall majority of the crowd was against him, the masked leader sighed. "Very well. But only one picture"

"Alright!" Tamaki yelled in joy. "I'm at the center!"

"Hey wait! I'm at the center!" Kallen blurted as she moved in. When the first original members of the group began to organize themselves into the frame, the others couldn't help but think of their little squabble as nothing more of a bunch of eight year olds fighting for the last piece of pie.

"Tamaki, come on man! This isn't the time for your semantics!" Yoshida beckoned.

"Oh come on! I'm definitely the guy closest to the center!"

"And there he goes again…" Inoue sighed.

"Tamaki! Cut it out!" Kallen pushed him aside away from Zero. "Know your place!"

"This is my place! Now beat it! Hey!"

While members continued arguing, Zero groaned at this. _"I feel as if I'm brought to a festival in the kindergarten all over again"_ it took about ten minutes until everyone was finally satisfied with their pose. But right before Diethard clicked and snapped the moment right into his camera, Zero motioned one more thing to Kallen. "By the way Kallen, do you mind if I have my handkerchief back?"

"WHA!?"

When the photo was done, the members of the Four Holy Swords let out a small laugh as Zero slowly walked away a little embarrassed by the whole situation. Who would've thought that the first members of the Black Knights would actually be a bunch of kids who haven't reached their time of maturity yet?

But as things went on by, Tohdoh couldn't help but glance at Nagisa who had made quite a dedication during yesterday's celebration.

**(Last night)**

"I see……" said Tohdoh as he and Chiba stood along with the other members of the Four Holy Swords. "So that's your decision?"

"Yes…" Chiba nodded. She had just explained to them that she was resigning from Tohdoh's command and was going to become a member of the Zero Squad. A unit working under the direct command of Zero himself and commanded by Kallen Kouzuki, the pilot of the Guren Mk. II. "I'm sorry if it was sudden but it was necessary"

"Are you really going through with this?" Asahina questioned. "He's not forcing you to join now, is he?"

"No, this is done out of my own free will" she answered back confidently. "I thought that it would be best for me. I'm sorry if this sounds selfish of me, but I have to find out how I really feel. And the only way for me to do that is to cut my ties and find out why Zero earns such loyalty and trust from the others. I have to know and for that I must be within his reach"

Tohdoh gazed at his follower impressively and finally nodded. "Very well. Do what you wish"

"Thank you sir"

"Don't go overboard now" Urabe joked. "Just don't forget that you always have a place with us. We're here whenever you need us hehehe"

Senba laughed as well. "And this must mean that you'll be working under Kouzuki, correct? (Yes) Ha, I never thought that you'd actually be working with someone younger than you. But it's your decision. I don't have any say in what you decide"

"Thank you… everyone…" she replied slightly happy and yet sad at the same time.

**(Present)**

"Heh…" Tohdoh smirked under his breath and he saw Chiba motioned to Kallen. She was no longer wearing her usual JLF military outfit but rather the uniform of the Black Knights itself. It was a clear sign that she had changed her colors and allegiance. "A reason to know huh? I guess I could find out for myself" he too did not understand why he trusted Zero. Either it was because he was a hero under a mask or something else entirely… he couldn't tell. Zero was just the king of man that was just too complicated for him to analyze.

"Did you say something Colonel?" Urabe asked.

"No it's nothing" he chuckled. "Forget it…"

**(Safe Zone)**

The area that was once known as the Japan Special Zone was indeed in tattered condition. Buildings that were constructed to house the people who participated were made into safe houses for the wounded and on every corner of the street, makeshift hospitals and medical clinics were established to carry on those were injured.

Those who were fortunate to live through the days since the Princess Massacre attack were grateful for the time they were given and were slowly aiding those who could not protect themselves. Doctors and nurses from different hospitals around the world were assembled in this place tending to their patients.

"There you go…" said one of the doctors to the patient who had just survived a gunshot wound on his leg. "You should be alright now. I managed to remove the bullet and cleaned the wound so it won't get infected. You just need to rest a few days and you'll be fine" he then turned to the man's family who were watching him the whole time. "You can take him now"

"Thank you doctor" the spouse of the patient bowed deeply before helping her husband up from bed.

When they were gone, the doctor quickly came out of the tent to find several of his colleagues having a break with a hot cup of tea. "How is our status?" he asked.

"It looks grim sir" one of them replied. "We're running low on medical supplies and there aren't enough rooms to put everyone in"

"What of the supplies from Tokyo?"

"We haven't heard a peep sir. Not until…" he was cut off from his sentence when three large sized helicopters suddenly appeared out in the open, creating a gush of wind to the area. "What the?"

"Excuse me…" came a voice from the Blue Sutherland as it rolled down the streets with three others Knightmares. "Sorry for the late arrival. The bridge at Itsugi was cut so we had to take a detour"

When the doctors noted its insignia, they gasped. "The Black Knights?"

"Yes. Who is the one in charge here?" Elie asked.

"Th… that would be me…" said the nameless doctor who hesitantly raised his hand.

"Right then. We brought supplies from Tokyo. Medical tools and equipments are all in there. The men will help you unload and maintain civic order"

"R… right… thank you. We really appreciate this"

Elie closed the speaker of his Knightmare and leaned back at his seat. As the soldiers began unloading the said supplies from the choppers he turned his Knightmare around to gaze at the people below him. He noticed their frightened expression and slightly scared of the presence of Knightmares. It was no big wonder. After experiencing war for so long the people have probably build a phobia for these machines.

"Everyone, let's back off" Elie ordered his men. "Our frames are scaring them. Lower your weapons and move to the main entrance. We'll leave the area the moment the supplies have been unloaded.

"Yes, my lord…"

"And you guys really have to stop calling me that"

"Sorry sir… it was out of habit"

"Yeah yeah… I guess so…" the boy laughed. A few moments later a com channel opened up to him. "This is Elie…"

"…"

"Oh? Ok then. Understood" Elie nodded in acceptance. "Alright we're heading back" he then dropped the com and turned to his men again. "Looks like the supply unit will be staying here. We're to report back to HQ. Titans, with me"

"Yes sir!"

As Elie again traveled on his Knightmare frame, he couldn't help but glance at the state of the Special Zone. When Princess Euphemia announced of its construction he was actually happy about it. He thought that the days of equality with the Japanese would finally come to reality and that the country can finally move on again with no ties behind. He even supported this project and convinced many of his honorary Britannian friends to participate in it.

But when the whole city was turned into a slaughterhouse, one would not believe the expression that was plastered all over his face. When the killing of the civilians began all he could do there was sit and watch while his comrades enjoyed the bountiful blood spilled by those who could not even fight back. He remembered shaking and quivering under his helmet. He remembered seeing his friends turn on each other and fired bullets even without knowing who their true enemy was.

When he returned to his base camp at Nagashino, many of his subordinates questioned him. But he could not answer. He too was puzzled for he never thought that a sweet princess like Euphemia could ever do such a thing. He locked himself in his room, denying all contact to the outside world grumbling to himself how he had taken part of it. Though he never fired upon the Japanese, he was still at fault of sending many of his comrades to their inevitable deaths. But when news came to the Tokyo settlement government bureau fell to the hands of the Black Knights, the man soon made a decision: To find out the truth no matter what the cost… even if it means disgracing himself and obliterating Britannia in the process.

"Commander Elie" a voice brought him out of his reflection. "Look…"

The boy turned his Knightmare frame around and noticed the old stadium where the massacre began. Inside were thousands of body bags all lined up in neat order with name tags on each of them, telling of who was within. The loved ones, the relatives, the friends and old comrades alike all mourned. The death toll was high and to think that this event only took place a few days ago.

"Yeah… I know" the boy replied before speeding up his tracks. "Keep moving. I don't want to stay here any longer. We'll follow the same path that we came through with the truck convoy and cross through the broken bridge. It'll be a lot faster"

"Yes sir…" the soldiers replied sadly.

**(Rakshata's lab)**

"Cybernetic limbs and joints implantation complete" said Rakshata's research assistant as he checked the test subject. "All functions are nominal. Energy flow stable"

"Well that was quick" Rakshata groaned even though progress was growing faster than she had hoped. She starred deeply at the damaged body of Jeremiah through the water tank. The man's limbs were completely changed from man to machine. His legs were metallic, his arms were steels and even a part of his eye which was already cybornized by Bartley and replaced with a much more sophisticated robotic scope lens. If the man was to be able to live through this day, he would be able to see through walls, run faster than a racecar, punch stronger than a fifty kilogram hammer and become as powerful as a living avatar. "Tighten the energy lines. Prepare for phase three of the operation" a number of small discontent sounds echoed from the group.

"Are we going through with this madam?"

"Yes. Zero said so himself" she explained while not looking a bit panicky at all.

"But we haven't even made modifications to it. If things go awry, then this man will simply end up like the rest of them"

"I know… but we don't have time to make the modifications. Besides… this is the only way. Change a number just by a slight margin, then it will simply be a backfire drop. Proceed…"

"Ugh…… yes madam…" the man surrendered. "Readying, activation charge from the generator. All lights are green…"

"Subject's vital signs and brain waves are nominal"

"H20 level stabilized" said another. "Pipe valves secured and tightened. Commence ECM surge. (gulp) Let's hope this one won't be as bad as the last one"

"Commencing!" and with a press of a button, the tank that stored the dying body of Jeremiah Gottwald suddenly began to glow with a hint of green and a surge of yellow. It was portraying the roll of Frankenstein's creation all over again. After a few short minutes, everything seemed to go well and all the body functions were responding little to the pipe that was plugged to the back of the man's spine.

"Subject has passed through the 30 percent process bar" said the scientist to Rakshata in a slightly worried tone. "He'll be reaching criticality in about ten seconds. Prepare yourselves" and right when the countdown started, the two assistants began praying silently in their minds to give a soft goodbye to the subject. It was unusual for scientists to be relying on a spiritual force but this time was a big exception for them.

And when the dial finally hit the bar meter of 70 percent, Jeremiah himself awoke as if he had just been pinched from his sleep. His body moved and his eyes bulged out so largely it almost looked like they wanted to pop out. After the initiate shock, his veins slowly began to show up around his body. Blood vessels slowly popping up and up like they were being lit by a disco fire. The man tried to pound himself free of the pain but to no avail. After a period of time, his vital signs began to go wild and his internal organs ripping as if thrown into a vacuum.

After six minutes of arduous torture, the man's torment finally came to an end when his heart finally stopped beating due to the strain from the cybernetic parts. His pace slowed and his movements forceful… and by the time the last breath left his lungs, it was over.

Jeremiah Gottwald… was dead.

"It's over…" said the assistant who monitored the patient's heart ratings. "The subject's heart has stopped completely. Subject number 45, Jeremiah Gottwald, was a failure"

"I guess it's no surprise" another one sighed. "His heart was already weakened from surgery. It's no surprise it gave out so quickly"

Even Rakshata was disappointed at this. But she did not shed a tear for the man. No scientists mourn for their losses, they simply move forward onto the next research. "Dump the body" she said finally after a moment's pause. _"It was no use… even till now my research was a failure. Forgive me Kulas. I guess I should've known when to stop"_ but she was snapped out of her thoughts when a burst of noise ran through her ears.

"RAGHHH!!!!" the scientists that were in the room nearly had a heart attack when a scream of absolute anger raged through the room. When all eyes turned to the source, they found that it was Jeremiah who screamed.

"What the!?"

"How is that possible!? He shouldn't be alive! His heart stopped beating an hour ago!" when he turned his head back to the monitor he noticed that the heart beating had gone up again and the progress bar had already reached 100 percent. "No way!"

"What's going on!?" Rakshata demanded. "Someone tell me what's happening right now!"

"We don't know for sure!" the man said still in his state of shock. "But it seems like his heart has begun pumping up again!"

"The progress bar is finished! The ECM surge was a success! His body functions are slowly stabilizing!"

"How is that possible!?"

"It worked…?" Rakshata dropped to her favorite tobacco pipe to the ground with a quizzled face. "Don't tell me that he brought himself back from the dead by sheer willpower?" as she looked back on her memories then she soon began to grit her teeth and snicker up a small laugh behind her joy. "This is… interesting. Well!? What the hell are you guys waiting for, Christmas? Gather up the data and don't let a single digit go haywire! Go now! I want all lines disconnected and someone contact Zero this instant!"

But as the scientists scatter to follow her orders, Jeremiah began to bang his head on the glass tank making a small crack at the center. His face was filled with anger and yet somehow deep inside they could feel some hint of sadness coming beneath it.

"T… the pressure!" said the guard. "The pressure of the tank is rising! It won't hold much longer!" and just like that, Jeremiah was freed once again from his second water tank… except this time… he was coming out as another man.

Gallons of water poured out from the large tank chamber. The pipes that were connected to Jeremiah snapped from their sockets and now the man that was once known as Jeremiah stood up on his own two feet……… once again… he has returned from dead.

As the man rose up from the water, his eyes immediately darted to the first man he could see. "W… who…?" he spoke softly through gasps of air. "Where am I? What is this place!? WHO ARE YOU!!?"

"P… please calm down" the assistant begged. "You're in good hands at the moment. There's no need to be violent and…"

"Spare me your excuses!" Jeremiah barked out cutting the man off. "I demand to know why! Why have you brought me here!?"

The man was now on the verge of wetting his pants as Jeremiah inched closer with his robotic limbs. "Please just remain calm! S… someone call security!"

"Oh for goodness sake" Rakshata groaned. "All you need to do is answer his questions. You're in the government bureau center in the Tokyo Settlement"

Jeremiah looked up to her and raised his only human eyebrow. "The Tokyo Settlement? But how did… how was I…?"

"Zero brought you here" she answered him plainly as possible. "Don't ask why, but in midst of all the chaos, Zero was the one who brought you to me and ordered me to bring you back to life"

When the name Zero sprung up again, Jeremiah's head began to go into a state of upheaval. He grabbed his head with his hands and gritted his teeth again and again in pain. It felt like the memories of his whole life was fast forwarding before his eyes playing only the important parts. But when the events of last night returned it was then he knew what he was. "That's right……… Zero! My lord! My master! Last night he… he saved me. Oh~ I must meet him. I must meet with Zero right now! I must apologize for my actions earlier and thank him for this!" he spoke all of those words with an expression that only few could call it craziness. "Yes that's it! I must meet with him! I must meet Zero! Tell me where he is, right now!!"

**(European Fronts) (Barcelona-Spain) (Schneizel's capital ship, the Avalon)**

The Britannian Pacific Fleet under Prince Schneizel's command were laying siege at the coast of Spain that day. Barcelona being one of the major city trade routes in the country was their first target. Not only would it severely weaken the E.U. forces at Spain, but it would also become a base in which Schneizel can launch his campaign against the remnants of the Western E.U. forces that were stationed there.

The battle was rough at first for Britannia as they faced against unending waves of Spanish Knightmares only known as the Baviaca, the name in which came from the horse which the once great hero of Spain, El Cid, rode upon.

But after days of constant siege from Schneizel's fleet artilleries, the cities defenses crumbled in mere days leaving only a few remaining within the city itself.

The defenders of Barcelona fought hard and they rode with honor and determination to defend their lands. But little they know that courage and skill would prove futile against tactics and strategies of a mastermind.

"Your highness" the captain of the ship reported. "The remaining enemy defenders are situated at the center of Barcelona. Their reinforcements were crushed before they could even reach the city just as you expected"

"Yes yes, I know… thank you captain. You may signal the men to proceed" Schneizel waved him off which he saluted back in return. "Since the forward lines from France aren't pushing through, we had to create a second opening from the north. How sad. If only Cornelia were here we would've conquered Spain already"

Kanon smiled at this. "But you did manage to capture Portugal your highness"

"True… but they barely offered any resistance. Spain on the other hand has a well bred commander. But he's a man who holds deeply onto honor and pride rather than the basic use of strategy, which makes him easy to predict. Who I so want to play with, is that man Zero"

"Are you still impressed by him sire?"

"Even though I hate war more than anything else, that man is to be admired. He's the only one who ever defeated the might of the Britannian army. A feat like that is no doubt impressive. And from what I reviewed at Calares's forces he used nearly every trick in the book. Hehehe. He doesn't hesitate to create chaos around his own forces and he doesn't care what he destroys as long as victory is achieved. That man will even blow up an entire city just to save face"

Kanon knew then why his prince was so eager to fight Zero. With all the military achievements he has accomplished here in Europe, he became bored with the usual tactics of how his opponents would move. Schneizel could tell every move that his opponent will make and will take a hundred steps ahead of them before they even get a chance of attacking. The longest fight that Schneizel had to go through was when he was fighting against the French commander, Francois Dael, who held the city of Paris against the prince's siege for two months before the French government surrendered. After that man had fallen, every opponent that Schneizel faced afterwards couldn't even last two weeks of his attack.

"But thanks to your actions of recognizing the United States of Japan, the other Areas are now rising up against us. From the last we've heard, Area 3 and Area 6 have begun to rebel"

"It was bound to happen sooner or later" the prince made a tired gesture by hand. "Now that the world saw the fall of the government bureau in the Tokyo Settlement and the defeat of the Britannian army under Zero's thumb it made a clear statement that this was the time to strike back. Hehehe. Even now I still think his plan was impressive. Now that we have our hands full of rebels and the E.U. intensifying their resistance, Zero has indeed made this world a much more interesting place to be"

A few minutes later, the captain returned brimming with a bright shined face. "Your highness, the Spanish force at Barcelona are now withdrawing. The third regiment is ready to move in on your mark"

"Very well then" Schneizel said boringly. "Have them secure the city and use the town hall as a base. Once they've cleared the airfield, have the Avalon land there and make the preparations" the young officer saluted and hastily made the order. "Three days sixteen hours. Too short…" he sighed. "Kanon, take command of the mop up force. I'm going to talk with his majesty about our next move"

"Oh the emperor is back already?" Kanon inquired hoping to get some info about the emperor. "He surely hasn't been around even before the war began"

"Yes I realized that too" the 2nd prince agreed while waving a gestured smile. "At the moment, his majesty seems to be in busy back at the homeland. Please understand that he can't always be everywhere at once. Even if he is a powerful man he is still… just another human"

"Oh uh… of course your highness"

**(Government bureau) (Hanger area)**

Elie had just returned to the government bureau that afternoon with his unit. After a quick routine of going through all 2 Safe Zones around the mainland, he had a lot of time to think about what has happened and what was going on in his life. He reflected upon his life and his actions but still nothing came into place.

After dismissing his men he soon made his way towards the small vending machine which seemed to still be taking Britannian currency. Taking a choice of his favorite drink that was inside he gulped the whole container down in one movement and threw it to the trashcan that was conveniently placed next to the device.

"You seem lost" he was brought out of his little downstate of mind by a voice from the main entrance door.

"… Zero!?" he intertwined his words together, quickly hiding the slip of a tongue. "W… what can I do for you sir?"

"Trying to find out if you have leaked my identity to anyone yet" the masked leader explained sarcastically hidden in his words. "So far I've heard you say none which surprises me"

"Uh…" the blonde boy let out a bead of sweat drop to his neck as he looked at the man who held the country of Japan under the palm of his hand. "What do you mean?"

"Elie… what will you do now?" he questioned while gesturing the boy to follow him to the hallway. "You've rebelled against your own nation, killed your former comrades and help the reconstruction of Japan. Your homeland will not take kindly to traitors and in here… you're nothing more but a quintessence of the colonial ruler that they have rejected. In other words… you are now a man without a country… a soldier who holds no ties to any law or nationality. Will you become a mercenary? A man who sides loyalty to the highest bidder or will you simply lie low and be forgotten just like all the other heroes that went through time?"

"I don't know…" was his subversive answer. "I simply went through with it. Joining against Britannia and fighting off the usurpers. I simply thought that this… that it was…"

"The right thing to do" Zero finished his sentence for him. "That's right. You did it because you thought that it was the right thing to do. You did not follow any code or conduct, not play by the rules but by the power of your soul. You simply did it because you could no longer stand against Britannia and their injustice rule and so you erased your honor by siding with the Black Knights. An impressive feat… one that isn't easily accomplished. And also… you did so knowing that your actions may have endangered your family" Zero then took out a burnt picture from his cape and handed it to the boy. "I believe this is yours"

"Ah!" Elie squealed like a little girl. "My family photo! Where'd you find it?"

"It was in the seat of my Burai. You left it there when we brought back Jeremiah. Are they your family?"

"My sisters actually…" Elie replied a little embarrassed. "All four of them. My father was a bit of an eccentric back then. My mother died giving birth to me and so he married another woman when I was about four years old. Hehehe… two of them here are my step sisters, the other one here is my sister in law and the cute little one on my head is my half-sister. After father passed away I was given the title of Baron by the authorities. You wouldn't believe the shock that came to everyone. Hehehe… those were some good times"

"And do you know what happens to families of traitors?"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about them" the boy smiled cheerily as if a new person took over his body. "They know how to take care of themselves. My sisters won't be bossed around by the politics. They know their way around hehehe"

"Which is all the more reason why I want you, Elie"

"Me?" Elie looked back a bit dumbfounded.

"Yes… I want you to serve me. A man who is no longer affiliated with any nation and has no ties with his past would suit perfectly as a fellow follower. You have the skills that I do not possess Elie and the knowledge that rivals that of a military commander. You would be perfect for a leader"

"What are you getting at?"

"I want you… Elie… to be my apprentice…"

This of course made Elie even more puzzled. "Apprentice? You mean like someone who learns or someone else? (Yes…) But I'm not qualified for that. I mean, I'm just a soldier and…" he stopped in his sentence when Zero showed the palm of his hand.

"The only thing that you lack… is confidence" it was then the masked leader opened the eye socket revealing his Geass eye. "Are you not the one I chose to become my champion? Are you not… my **Blue Baron**?" red rings once again began glowing around the boy's eyes and within that spur of a moment, a shroud of confidence and determination filled his heart and mind like someone had pushed a button in his system.

"Yes… of course" Elie said suddenly as if he was in a trance. "I will not let down your expectations, your majesty. I shall learn to strive under your tutelage"

"Excellent… now let us begin with… hmm?" Zero stopped on his magic incantation when his phone began to ring. "Heh… of all times…" he allowed it to ring a few seconds before answering the call. "What is it Rakshata?"

"Sorry to interrupt your little nap time, but it seems that your friend wants to see you" the female scientist answered in her usual calm and collected voice. In the background, Zero could hear several glass objects breaking and a lot of electrical tools circuiting through their systems. "He's a little over the top now but he doesn't seem to be stopping until he gets to see you"

"Zero!!!" Jeremiah's voice roared from the background. "Where is he!? I must find him! I must see him! Where is Zero!? Tell me where he is now!!!"

"Jeremiah survived, I see…" Zero sighed in relief. "Very well. I'm on my way. Elie, come with me"

"Yes, my master…" The boy then broke out of his semi-trance and quickly nodded back. "Huh? Oh yeah sure"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Where is Zero!!!?" Jeremiah screamed while he was being restrained by four guards. "Unhand me you swine! Will you stop me from serving the man which you serve as well!? Can't you see that I need beg for his forgiveness! I can't rest until I see him! Grahhh!!"

"He's out of control!"

"Shoot him with another tranquilizer!"

"I already gave him six doses!"

"Then give him another one!"

"What's the state of his brain right now?" Rakshata inquired still not even a bit phased by the current situation.

"It's incredible" the man replied while calculating through the computer. "His brain-cells are working pass beyond the point of destabilization! Although his muscles aren't responding to the limbs well yet I can only imagine that it's due to the premature release. His body doesn't really have the strength to move"

"But these numbers are beyond human capabilities" another one said through his glasses. "Wherever Zero brought this man from, he truly is a worthy specimen. Could this be evolution?"

"You mean progress" Rakshata corrected with her hand waving her favorite tobacco pipe. "Whatever the case. Zero really has pulled out some useful data for me. I might even want to give him a kiss for this" she joked for a minute before the said man suddenly appeared from the main entrance with his apprentice in tow. "Oh you're here"

"Jeremiah Gottwald!" Zero barked out causing the deranged man to stop struggling and look up to him.

"C… commander… Zero…" one of the guards muttered.

But Jeremiah simply beckoned to him as a god. "Zero! My lord, my master! You have returned for me! I knew it! I… I…"

When Zero noted his tightened muscles, he waved to the guards in gesture before saying. "Release him…" the guards did so in quick response and allowed the cyborg to catch on his breathing. After awhile, Zero followed down the steps and watched as the green haired man slowly rose up barely able to hold his wobbly legs together. "I see that you are well… Jeremiah…"

"Yes… yes my lord Zero" Jeremiah said with a heart felt smile creeping up his lips. "Jeremiah Gottwald, reporting for duty…"

Zero nodded proudly at his new worthy ally before turning to the others. "Leave us…" Rakshata shrugged and quickly followed muttering something about having sufficient data. Once the guards and scientists left the room, Elie locked the door behind them and made sure there were no bugs eves dropping on their little conversation. This was a lab so it was sure that there wouldn't be any cameras but still… he couldn't allow himself to get careless.

After a brief nod, Zero continued to stare at Jeremiah who still remained standing where he was. There was an obvious change to his limbs and body, making him look more like a robot than human. However, someone here had the decency to clothe him before releasing him from the tanker. "Jeremiah… do you know who I am?"

The man bowed. "Yes… your highness… you are the only one I believe in. Your name need not be spoken by me for my mind is still intact!"

"And will you keep to your word?"

"Yes… I serve only but one…… and it's Lady Marianne…" he then lowered his head down as if trying to bow forcefully. "Your majesty… mere words cannot hope to express my loyalty. If you seek to trust me then cast your Geass upon me and command me to obey. Use that power to make me a slave to your will if you must"

"Geass?" Elie questioned the name of the power but Zero ignored it, choosing to explain it later.

The masked prince then breathed a sigh of mixed emotion through his mouth. So much has happened since the day that he killed Euphemia, but knowing the time now he couldn't ask for a more perfect scene then to crown his own men. "I have a better idea Jeremiah" he said with a stern puffed chest. And then with one motion he pulled over his cape revealing a long sword hidden within its sheath. Zero pulled it out and did what many royal members of Britannia did in naming their champions. "Jeremiah Gottwald… kneel before me…" he ordered which the man did so without hesitation. But just before Zero commenced the following oath, he turned to his compatriot. "Elie… won't you join him?"

The blonde boy quivered upon hearing his name. "M… me…"

"Your loyalty is also needed. Do you not agree?"

Elie's heart deflated. No matter how you looked at it, this ceremony looked exactly like a dark ritual of summoning demons in old cultish movies back in the old days. A man that was born out of a tank, a dark lord crowing his experiment his champion and now the boy was faced with two ultimate choices. He could serve the demon born of by man's hatred… or… he could choose the door and leave for the homeland in fear. It was a decision he had to make now and then. There was no more time to think. Risk it or lose it.

-The greatest of changes can sometime come through the smallest of choices-

-Aristotle, tutor of Alexander the Great-

Finally… a smirk formed around his lips as he spoke. "When I first joined up with you…… I thought I had abandoned my duty to the royal family of Britannia" he pause his words for a moment and took a deep sigh. But in the end, I just returned right where I started. I guess I could go for a fresh start. Count me in… my lord" he then took his rightful place beside Jeremiah and knelt on his knee.

"Very good" Zero then resumed the ceremony. Even with no witnesses, it had to be done to ensure professionalism. "Jeremiah Gottwald, Elie Deledantes" he began. "Will though upon this day pledge thy fealty to Lady Marianne vi Britannia, the late consort of Britannia… and stand here not as a knight of the crown, but a knight of which who fight against it?"

"Yes… your majesty" they said in unison.

"Does thou wish to abandon thy self… and be the sword and shield of that of the greater cause?"

"Yes… your majesty…"

"And will thou willingly serve me for I am that of the greater cause?"

"Yes… your majesty…

Zero then drew out the sword from its scabbard, displayed it before his face as a sign of the cross and ghostly tapped both sides of their shoulders in recognition of their loyalty. "Then I… the 11th Prince of Britannia and eldest son of the late consort Marianne, Lelouch vi Britannia… hereby dubbed thee… the first **Knights of Zero**. You may rise… and stand tall…"

"Yes… your majesty…"

As both men stood back on their feet, it really felt as if they had been born into a new form of flesh. A darker being of their previous selves that were now compelled to serve the dark lord's will. The pawns of the devil himself.

As just as Jeremiah was able to get his body up again he slipped in a word of his deepest gratitude before his body finally gave to fatigue. Elie caught him by his shoulder and allowed him to slump there to catch up his breath.

"It looks like he's dead tired" the boy motioned. "I'll take him to my room. If people start seeing him it might spur a moment of questions around us. Forgive me my lord" he then carried the man over his shoulder and lung out before the rest of the scientist could move. Now with one task down only a few more remained on Zero's list. But now he had to savor the moment of his new force… for he had gained two valuable pawns in which he would use to further the cause of his chaos.


	7. The Rise and Fall of Zero

**Chapter 7: The Rise and Fall of Zero**

**(Tokyo district) (2 weeks later)**

The repairs that went around Tokyo on the first day were not a smooth as everyone thought it would be. When the first brick was placed among one of the thousand damaged buildings around the city the Black Knights soon knew that building was way harder than destroying stuff. Unlike reconstructing, destroying things only took a pull of a trigger to fire a barrage of missiles to level a mall down to the ground.

But of course the people of Japan were not without aid. Cooperating and reorganizing the firms around the country were all thanks to the members of the Black Knights. Every member in that organization spent no time, resources and manpower in aiding the Japanese back on their feet. Their black suits were easily recognized by the people and everywhere they went they were greeted as heroes and saviors of the locals. As they slowly restored stability to the central nation, order soon resumed under the new government within record time.

And just as Zero proclaimed, the Sumeragi family under the leadership of Kaguya Sumeragi became the new prime minister of Japan. The remaining six houses of Kyoto retired and whatever rebel force that did not accept the Black Knights supremacy were absorbed into the community. Peace was restored and the society of Japan including their history was restored to its former glory.

But yet… some people couldn't believe it. A few days ago they were under the impression that they would never see Japan rise again. That it fell by the empires might. Thousands of rebels instigated among the ranks but none succeeded. And now… to think that it would only take one man to do this. One man to beat an enemy they thought was undefeatable.

The process of rebuilding was slow and steady but beyond that it was a lot faster than what the Britannia could do. Ohgi was one of many who appreciated greatly that Zero was with them that day. With him around he was able to organize crew members in each area equally and prioritizing production centers with great ease. He was even able to balance the budget of each company without even breaking a sweat. (A trait he gained when he was working with Milly back in the old school council days)

When everything was in order and the task set out equally to all sectors, the sound of battle was soon forgotten and even people have difficulty remembering how the Britannian were able to rule over them.

It amazed Tohdoh how the Japanese were able to rebuild so quickly with the aid of one man. With Zero alone, he made the reconstruction sound more like building a tent out sticks and animal skin. What took people more than three days to figure out, he was able to accomplish it in just three seconds. He was a genius among geniuses. He can crack codes, answer formulas and create software programs that would already rival against their own military programming. It was not something human could usually do. No… it was something no human can do. To create an organization with such great accuracy and precision at a fraction of a moment, crush empires with the palm of his hand with such rare use of force and to create such disasters with but a simple gesture of a hand was nothing more but an act of godlike powers.

But perhaps Zero did fit the category of a god.

The people almost treated him as such a being for wherever the masked leader went, order would follow not far behind. He rode on his Burai seeing that bringing the Gawain would only terrify the people. Kallen of course stayed with him through it all as it was her duty of being his Elite Guard and soon enough she became a celebrity among all Japanese.

Zero was praised… no… he was worshipped wherever he set foot on. His mask brought joy to the people's hearts and with each settlement he passed by, stability and order would come through.

But even though the people were proud to have such a leader with them, not all of them were happy about it. Kallen of course was perhaps one of few to realize how tired Zero really was. She was perhaps the only one who knew that he was still human because he showed signs of tire coming from his constant sighs. She worried about Zero from time to time and even with that she would see the man get about 3 hours sleep at best and when he works he doesn't stop until everything was accomplished. Kallen cursed herself for being useless. Day by day for the past two weeks she would see the man work his mind off on papers, blueprints and programs that were far too sophisticated for her mind to comprehend. Whenever he was finished with one task, fifteen more would step up through the door to take its place. She even began to wonder if he even had the opportunity to take that mask off.

Zero had been the pinnacle of people's hope and not once did his image break. He would stand strong in the midst of millions and speak with resounding charisma that would move the people's hearts. And when the time came when he would be allowed to rest she would be the first to help him to his tent. In times like these, Kallen felt more like a butler to the man rather than his bodyguard. Though she rejoiced that Zero was able to get some decent rest she still felt rather powerless. The least she could do to help him was fetch him water or bring his meal to his room but even then she wouldn't be allowed to see him for his mask prevented him from enjoying the comfort of a proper meal. But the worst part came to her job as a bodyguard. Back during the occupation of Britannia she would fend off hordes of enemy Knightmares from Zero and gladly crush them with the blow from her Guren.

But nowadays, the worst thing she had to fend off from Zero was a bunch of kids and irregular fan girls that would kill just to get a glimpse of his face and/or mask. It was humiliating but it was obvious now that soldiers like her were pretty much useless in times of peace.

When Zero returned to the government bureau after a 2 weeks tour around the countryside, the first place he went to was the hanger bay lobby where Rakshata was requested to meet with him. Kallen requested that he rest first and allowed his mind to cool down but Zero rejected it calmly.

"Rakshata…"

"You called, Zero?" the scientist asked boringly obvious that she was taken away from her fun loving hobby of research. "I hope this is important. I was taken away from my precious research data because of you"

"Oh is that so?" Zero chuckled coldly as if not even finding a hint of pleasure in his own laugh. "If I remember correctly, I am responsible for most of the data you've collected"

"Indeed, now what is it that you want?"

"I wish you to build me something" Zero then motioned to Kallen who produced a clipboard with several documents of weapons on them. "I want you to install the Gawain's Druid System into this one and as for this second one, I have plans for it. The funding of this project will be yours and I'm sure that it would keep you busy for some time"

Rakshata scanned emptily at the papers but found herself quite interested in the designs that Zero provided her. She only thought of him as a military-political genius but now she discovered that he was also a talented artist as well. The man was just full of surprises. "Quite interesting. For the long run, I'd say this project would last me for about year to accomplish. But I must say you have some good ideas. One scientist alone even myself won't be able to do this in the allotted time"

"Which is why I decided to place an assistant to your side"

"An assistant?" Rakshata popped a brow of curiosity on how Zero was able to find someone to suit her genuine ideas and she immediately cursed the moment she asked that question.

"Why hello there~!" came a singsong voice in which Rakshata recognized almost instantly. As she whirled her head to the direction of the voice she scowled upon the face of her former collaborator and research compatriot, Earl Lloyd Asplund and his assistant Cecile Croomy. "Long time no see"

"Well if it isn't the Earl of Pudding I see. And you as well, Cecile"

"Nice to see you again Ms. Chawla" the blue haired scientist bowed lowly to her.

"Polite as always" Rakshata's pleased look then turned sour when she turned her head towards the sociopath. "And I see you haven't changed a bit either"

"Oh come now. Let's all be friends here" Lloyd gestured his hand in a friendly manner. "We are all on the same side so we may as well not go hostile on one another"

"And I suppose you two will be my co-workers again?"

"Yes, Zero gave us that choice" Cecile explained. "He said that we could either go back to Britannia or stay here and work for the Black Knights"

"I chose the latter one" Lloyd admitted boringly which Rakshata took to questioning. "Besides, all the data I've collected are here. If you think for a minute that I would leave this place without them then you're surely wrong. I've spent my life's work on the Camelot Project and I'm definitely not going to surrender it just because you won the battle" Rakshata gave a sly 'oh' sound from her mouth as she crossed a smile. "Well then I hope to be in your care again Rakshata ahohohoho…"

The woman looked at the two of them for a minute before turning her eyes to Zero again. "If this were to be my choice, I would refuse, Zero"

"Oh don't worry" Zero waved her off before gesturing to the glass window overlooking the hanger. "To compensate for such a setback, I decided to give you a little present" then suddenly four Sutherlands fully equipped from head to toe arrived on scene with a mech which seemed to have been badly damaged during the Black Rebellion. "The Knight Giga Fortress, Siegfried. A one of a kind frame built under great secrecy of the R&D core and funded personally by Prince Schneizel himself. This was the enemy that severely damaged the Gawain during the attack on Tokyo. I thought you'd like to take a crack at it"

"Oh my…" Rakshata said slyly. "I guess I was wrong about you Zero. You really do know how to treat a woman. Dear me. With so many projects in hand I don't even know where to start"

"Then I guess you won't have any problem with Lord Asplund being your partner"

"Lloyd, if you will" the scientist dismissed his title. "Only the politics call me Lord Asplund"

But Rakshata couldn't refuse the offer. The deal favored her side greatly. With the Siegfried in her hands and all the combined data of the Lancelot in her fingers she had more than enough things to do to last her five years or more. The only downside to this was Lloyd himself which could easily be cast off as a burden to the research. So with overwhelming advantage she finally agreed. "Very well. I'll deal with him"

Lloyd clasped his hands together in joy. "Wonderful~!"

"But I have to ask. Why would you betray your own country? You do realize that the penalty for all traitors is death, right?"

"You forget little Chawla. I'm a sociopath just like you. I don't really care which side I'm on as long as I continue to gather data. Besides… three square meals, a roof and protection are all I need. I'd say it's a bargain compared to my own life"

But then the door to the hanger bay suddenly opened again revealing Elie in his new black and blue pilot suit with a long cape included. He still wasn't accepted into the class of the Japanese due to his nationality of being a Britannian but he paid them no mind seeing that he now served a greater purpose. His eyes however were more focused on the pad documents he was holding to look up to his master. "Master Zero, I've brought the report of the prisoner exchange succession. We should be… oh sorry… was I interrupting?"

"Is that… a Britannian soldier?" Cecile questioned which Lloyd adjusted his glasses in agreement.

"Well well, it looks like we weren't the only ones to betray our nation"

"No, just a little talk" Zero waved it off before taking the pad paper from the boy. "What else do you have to report?"

"I've deployed the troops in the order just as you asked. I've stationed the Titans at the old Aichi Prefecture and all eastern and western islands. Commander Tohdoh requested the areas be modified as military bases just in case of another invasion"

"And what of the ruins at Kamine Island?"

"We left it alone just as you requested and also… our prisoner… the Knight of Twelve is awake…"

This of course awakened great news to the man behind the mask. "Already? Have her injuries healed?"

"She's slightly battered" Elie whispered not wanting the scientists to hear. "But the doctors said that she'll fully recover in a few more days. We kept her in one of the cell down below"

"Excellent…" Zero was pleased for he knew that if things went well then all of his pawns would've now been collected. "Kallen, we're done for today. You're dismissed. Meet up with Ohgi and resume aid with construction"

"But…" she was even able to get a word of protest out of her mouth when Zero left the room with Elie in tow. "Hmph…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In no time at all, Zero had made his way to the detention center below the higher levels of the government bureau. There, a small group of guards were placed among the ranks since there was only one prisoner kept at the time. But even so they could not relax their perception for one moment because the prisoner they kept was one of the finest Britannia had to offer on the battlefield. Monica Kruszewski, the Knight of Twelve.

Zero planned to use her as a valuable pawn for she had proven her skills by going toe-to-toe with the Guren and actually having a draw match against it. There was an obvious option that she would not join her willingly but that didn't really matter for Zero had a little power up his sleeve in which he could use to bend people's will to his favor.

Upon his arrival, the guards were exclaimed to see him. "Commander Zero!" the sergeant saluted followed by the rest of his men.

"At ease" he waved them off before revealing the small hole in his mask which hid his Geass eye. **"I need you all to do me a little favor"** the guards tensed up and immediately became hypnotized by his marveled powers. Elie however did not flinch a bit. In the past two weeks he had been given an explanation of the power of Geass or at least a brief detail about it. Though he found that power to be inhumane he did not go against it for he could only comprehend the smaller part of the power. And another reason was because he too was affected by its power and often it would activate on his own.

"Yes… what can we do for you?" the guards asked in unison.

Zero was pleased that his power still worked but the more often his used it the more tiresome it became to activate it. It probably had something to do with his stress level and his fatigue but he digressed. There was a probability that it consumes stamina but he had no proof at the moment. **"There's a prisoner I wish to visit. Therefore I want you all to deactivate the security cameras for awhile and do not allow anyone to enter until we leave. Is that clear?"**

"Yes… understood sir…" the sergeant nodded before putting in the codes to deactivate the security cameras.

Zero and Elie walked for a fairly good distance away from the guardhouse for a few minutes until they spoke again. "Oh that reminds me… how's Jeremiah fairing?"

"He's recovering rather quickly" the blonde knight replied holding firm as ever. "Thanks to the administration Rakshata gave him he's been adapting to his new body rather well. We've kept him hidden from the others but people are getting suspicious. I kept him hidden in my room for awhile but there's no telling how long that will last. I recommend we make up a story to prevent mutiny and distrust among the ranks of the Black Knights. I'd say that he was a collaborator from the very beginning of your organization. An inside agent who leaked information and also he reports directly to you to prevent his cover from being blown"

To say the least, Zero was impressed. To think that his apprentice would already be thinking ahead just to prevent a small mutiny from happening was already a feat worthy of recognition. It proved that he was learning and that he was more devoted to his dark master than most Black Knights.

"An excellent plan" Zero replied. "But if he is going to have a cover up story then he'll also need a motive. Not everyone is dedicated to betraying Britannia"

"A simple one. A matter of betrayal in the family ranks and has his own motive of finding the culprit. Jeremiah's records show that he was once in the service of Lady Marianne so it'll be easy to pin his story with Diethard. I've talked with both of them and they agree that it's a sound plan"

Zero let out a small chuckle. "Excellently done… my apprentice. You're learning well…"

Elie bowed gently at him. "Your praise is unnecessary my master…"

A/N: Do you get a feeling of Darth Vader and his apprentice here?

It wasn't long then till the two arrived at the specific cell at the very heart of the detention center. Inside, the one who was known as the Knightmare pilot, Sunny Day, was sitting on the bed prepared for her. A plate on the floor with a full well prepared meal untouched.

When the sight of Zero's face came upon her eyes she slumped backwards to her bed eyeing him with the greatest hatred. "Well now… so this is the face of the Knight of Twelve, Monica Kruszewski?"

"Zero…" she hissed his name. "So you're the masked leader of the Black Knights? I expected you to be a lot bigger"

"Oh? Forgive me if I disappoint your taste" he then inspected her face and body to see if there were any wounds that were left unchecked. "I see that you are well. I hope that the soldiers did not treat you so roughly"

"So, have you come to kill me yourself?" she taunted him. "… or… did you come to torture me?"

"Don't compare my characteristics with that of a simple villain" he replied bitterly. "I simply came here to talk. (Talk?)" Zero then pulled out a small folder from his cape which seemed to have revealed the details of the current knight held captive. "Monica Kruszewski, age: 23. The youngest daughter of Roland del Kruszewski, the duke of Idaho. Has two older sisters and two older brothers who now portray as political figures and a younger sister who was bethroled to the eldest son of Count Jaster. You joined the military at the age of 17 and became one of the first pilots to try out the new Knightmare frames. Showed remarkable achievements on the fields of Alaska, repelling an entire contingency with only six Knightmares alone which earned you the title of Knight of Honor by Princess Guinevere which also made you the youngest person ever to be dubbed a knight. At the age of 20 you were chosen by the emperor to become the Knight of Twelve which you took upon immediately which then led to the promotion of your family status in the court"

"Is there a point to reading my biography aloud?" she questioned still not trusting the man in front of her.

Zero closed the folder with a definite clip sound and returned his gaze to the girl. "I simply find your records rather fascinating" he added. "Never before have I seen such battle skills and tactics played out so nicely. A person who is able to lead and yet the same time fight is not a talent that you can find anywhere. And the plan to sacrifice your own life for your comrades was admirable. Foolish… but admirable"

"If one life can save another ten then I'd say that's a bargain"

"But is that single life worth it?" Zero questioned. "Then let's have a test then. Imagine yourself in this situation lady Monica. The lives of a thousand people hang in the balance. You have the opportunity to save all of them but in doing so you will have to kill one child. Which do you choose? Would you kill the child to save a thousand or… will you sacrifice the thousand to save the child?"

Monica was thrown back. "What does that have to with this?"

"A question to see which you will find greater" he answered. "The lives of a thousand men or a child whose possibilities are near limitless if groomed correctly… now… answer the question"

A/N: Which would you choose?

Monica paused for a moment clearly thinking of the answer. "None…" she said finally. "One life can't be compared among the other"

"So you would rather remain idle and allow both the child and the thousand people to die even knowing that you had the power to save at least one of them?"

"Geh…"

"How disappointing. But… I guess it was to be expected. If you had the power to change the world…… would you use it to topple down that which had made the world as it is? I would… use it…"

"So what does this have to do with me?"

Zero smirked. "I want you to join me, Monica Kruszewski. To join the Black Knights and help me bring down the empire of Britannia. (What!?) I give you an option. To help me in this dark times. Your skills are wasted upon them. The emperor does not deserve your loyalty or your presence. The empire in which you serve is rotten to the core of its government. You of all people should see it. The distinguishing of classes, the racism that they inject and the crimes they have committed. The emperor wishes to conquer the world under his iron thumb and when that happens, the world will only be a place where the strong survives and weak becomes slaves! I will not allow that. Come with me and I will open your eyes to the truth!"

"Don't mock me!" Monica snapped at him. "You're nothing but a low born terrorist! There's not a single reason for me to believe in the words that you say! You expect me to betray my people and my country!? It's true to what you say. The empire is rotten to the core and the people still suffer. But still… even if I am serving an evil dictator like the emperor, I won't go back on my word. I will stand strong and continue on with my honor and simply by asking me that, you are testing the pride of the Knights of the Round!"

Elie nodded back as he too somewhat agreed to the girl's statement. The pride of one is absolute. If one was to abandon pride then perhaps he would be more human than most. But alas… such pride are not needed in the new world order in which his master, Zero was going to create.

"Such a pity" Zero sighed. "You are one who would sacrifice the world only because of self pride. How stagnate. It's nothing more than selfishness. Talking to you and convincing you to join me was pointless after all. And so…… I shall give you the gift of your pride. The punishment of your greatest sin" he opened his eye socket revealing his Geass once again. **"You shall serve Zero…… but above all else… you shall serve Lelouch vi Britannia…"**

"W… what…?" Monica's face was mortified with fear. "No… it can be! That must mean… you're…" but her realization was far too late for the sigil in his eyes were done. "Yes of course…… what may I do for you, Master Zero?" the masked leader grinned as he saw the young knight bow her head.

"You will join my personal force willingly. However… since releasing you early may raise suspicion I will need to keep you here for now. You are to remain here and don't try anything that would raise the guards' attention. I will let Elie fetch you when we're ready. In the mean time… try to be a good girl and stay healthy until then"

"Very well master… I will comply" The girl bowed and then returned to her seat by her bed. She then picked up the tray of food on the floor and ate peacefully like a well tamed lion that lost its fangs. Once they were sure that she was no longer a threat they immediately left the room to continue with their plan for the fall of Britannia.

"Was it necessary to use the Geass on her, master?" Elie asked after getting a good distance away from all the wandering ears in the hallway.

"A person who selfishly puts pride first instead of the lives of others is the kind of people Britannia consists of" Zero reasoned while his hand wavered back into his cape. "I cannot allow that. People and the pride of men have long since been conflicted. It is the one sin that the people cannot disobey for it is within their nature to fight"

Elie nodded and quickly changed the subject matter at hand. "If so… then what will our next move be? The reconstruction of Japan will take too long for us to move and if we wait, Britannia will recover in strength again"

"True. Which is why we will have to proceed with the next step our plans if we are going to utilize the time we have left. I'll begin making preparations on moving our base to Britannia. There's a man there who still owes me a small debt and some favors. Not only that but we will also need to take the Chinese Federation into consideration. It's questionable why they haven't moved yet even with Britannia weakened to such a state"

"Fighting a two sided war will also be a problem. I suggest we strengthen ourselves by gathering support from the Chinese Federation"

"Yes… that will be the most logical choice of action" Zero agreed. "But we will need a reason to enter their country, which still proves a problem. We'll discuss more of this plan later. For now let us get some rest"

Elie bowed and acknowledged his command. "Yes my lord…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upon returning to his room, Zero wasn't surprised to find his witch there eating pizza as usual on his bed. One would say that she would've gotten a life by now. "Welcome back" she said plainly without any emotion whatsoever. "How was your two week tour of the countryside?"

"Dull and uninteresting" was his reply. "The reconstruction is falling behind and we don't have that much manpower to speed up the plan"

"You really are a perfectionist" C2 added. "What you call 'falling behind' is actually ahead of schedule for many of the Japanese. You've rebuilt society back in the Tokyo Settlement in just one week and already 75 percent of the ghettos have been repaired. Some people would call that inhumane speed"

"Well I have a very high standard so it can't be helped" Lelouch then removed his mask and locked the door behind him. "If this goes on, the progress will take at least a year to restore stability. Education and medical facilities have been established but not enough to accommodate everyone. Tokyo has become the hub of all Japanese and refugees flock to our new constructed cities"

"And that will be a set back for the Black Knights, is it not?"

Lelouch tapped lightly on his table where his mask was placed and held one hand over his face where his uncontrollable Geass was still glowing. "A delay, if you will. By the way… what of that contact lens you promised me about?"

"It's almost done. Geass isn't something you can contain easily you know" she responded. "I'll probably have it done by the end of the week" Lelouch sighed but decided to leave it be. "You really should rest. If you keep stressing yourself out like that you'll collapse"

"You worry too much…"

"And you worry too little…"

"In either case, I can't stop now. With Britannia crumbling I will need to call in many favors to move up my plans to the next level. I also discovered something more about my powers as well"

"Your Geass? And what would that be?"

"That it takes on different forms" he explained in detail. "It comes as Active, Passive and Activation. Active is a one shot Geass I used. By telling a person to do a specific task. It is instant but it wastes my power usage. Passive is a control like Geass which is constantly on and has no limit to end. If I asked someone to be my slave then the Geass will take complete control of his mind making him a slave to my nature. It's almost like binding a man's will to my powers and taking his life for my own"

"Such savagery if I would call it" C2 smirked. "And what of the third?"

"Activation is when my Geass activates on a person when a certain situation has happened or if a specific command is given"

"Like the one you gave to Elie. The spell of confidence"

"Yes, so every time he hears the title of Blue Baron he immediately becomes confident. It's like giving him a trait he never had" he then continued on with his work on gathering information on the computer console until he heard the voice of Lady Kaguya on the speakers.

"Master Zero, please report to the command room. We have an emergency"

Lelouch raised his brow in question. What emergency could possibly be urgent enough to receive his presence?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And in no time at all, Zero made his way to the command room where the high members of the Black Knights were present. Elie too was there with a rather semi-pleased look on his face.

"A birthday celebration?" the masked leader questioned to Kaguya who called him here. Apparently, lady Kaguya was invited to the birthday of the Chinese empress a few weeks before the Black Rebellion but completely forgot about it until now.

"Yes, I received an invitation to the celebration through the Sumeragi conglomerate. The celebrant is the empress, the icon of the Chinese Federation. I don't know her personally but a company of mine has a contact within the High Eunuchs. I only remembered about it recently. I believe my invite is still valid"

"So what?" Tamaki said irritatingly. "It's just a silly birthday party. What? Are you just gonna go there and have a few wine glass and a slice of the birthday cake?"

"Truly, you know very little about politics" C2 groaned.

"How excellent!" Zero said in his first cheerful tone for a very long while. "This will provide us with a perfect opportunity to make contact with the Chinese government. A formal invitation"

"But won't that just be suspicious to be going there alone?" Ohgi questioned.

But Diethard simply smirked off his motion. "It's common for business proposals to be held during parties such as these. And besides, Ms. Kaguya is the one being invited; if that is the case then Zero can simply act as her escort or her partner if need be. Let's just say it's a perfect excuse"

"A wonderful invitation Lady Kaguya" Zero appraised which the girl simply clasped her hand together in a childish motion. "With this, I can form a trade treaty with the Chinese Federation. Although I will have to use the Sumeragi's name in the deal"

"Oh please go right on ahead" Kaguya replied cheerily. "After all, I am your public face, am I not?" she countered with his own use of words.

"Indeed…" Zero chuckled. "So when is the celebration?"

"In three days time. I have a resort there which we can use as our stay"

"Then we leave today" he declared finally with a wave of his hand. "Such a perfect opportunity would be wasted if not exploited to its best. We will have to prepare for departure immediately"

**(Britannia) (Pendragon International airport)**

Milly and the rest of the students from Ashford Academy arrived not a minute later at the international airport of Pendragon, the capital city of Britannia. After a week long trip traveling from one airport to the other, it had been a hectic time for all of them. Upon arriving at the homeland, the students who were separated from their families were quickly reunited. Tears of joy flowed through the airport lobby and even Milly herself was greeted by her parents.

After their little reunion was done, the ex-school council team rejoined altogether at the center of the lobby where a few chairs were left empty for them. "Phew… this has been one hell of a week. My legs feel like they're going to fall off if I walk any further than this"

"I'm sorry" Nunnally apologized as Milly had been the only person who helped her all the way. Since her wheelchair had only the power lifespan of 48 hours, Milly had to push the girl all through five checkpoints of the security. "It's just that my wheelchair doesn't last very long"

"Oh don't worry about it" she waved it off. "I'm not really complaining. It's just that I'm glad we're back at the homeland now"

"You can say that again" Shirley agreed sighing as well. "My mom wouldn't let go of me. I thought I was going to choke if she hugged me any longer"

"That's just motherly affection" Milly chuckled out loud, before turning her eyes towards Rivalz, who seemed to be smothered by his parents. "Oh and speaking of affection. Take a look at Rivalz and his mom…" they both began to giggle as they saw Mrs. Cardemonde giving her son a big fat kiss on the cheek leaving a trace of lipstick on it. "Boy. I don't know whether to feel sorry for him or be happy that he's reunited with his parents. That kiss mark isn't gonna come off that easy"

After literally prying himself from his mother, Rivalz decided to join his friends at that line of chairs they were in. "Hey guys"

"Hey there Mama's boy" Milly joked to which the boy simply groaned and began wiping the lipstick mark off his cheek.

"Ah… you guys saw that" after removing the stain from his face, he took out a little knapsack from his back which contained several slice of sandwich and a few bottles of water. "My mom made them"

"Oh cool!"

"Great! I'm starving" Milly was the first to dig in and handed a share to Nunnally. "All those rations they gave us on the plane made me sick to my stomach"

"Oh please don't remind me" Shirley groaned. "Oh… by the way where's Nina?"

"She took a different plane" the president explained. "She'll probably get here an hour later. After our parents sort out our paperwork and verify our identification we should probably get some rest. Hey I know! Why don't we have a party celebrating our survival!?"

"Oh prez, you and your parties"

"A party sounds nice" Nunnally voted in a rather tired tone.

"Then it's settled! We'll all have a party at my place!"

"Wha? With just the four of us?" Rivalz looked dumbfounded. "Geeze, you must've inherited your grandfather's rashness for parties"

"Ahehehe! It's an Ashford family special trait. Why else did you think my grandfather was given the nickname: Disco man?"

"Really?"

"He doesn't have that nickname, you're making it up" Shirley humored.

"Oh come on now. Can't you guys play along just for a few minutes?"

They laughed… probably the first time in many days.

But just when they were having their moment of fun of being together, the airport speaker suddenly rung in. "Attention, please. Paging Ms. Shirley Fenette of Ashford Academy. Please report to the reception desk at the airport lobby. I repeat… paging Ms. Shirley Fenette…"

"Huh? I wonder what they could be calling me for"

"Did you lose one of your belongings?"

"No… I left them all at Ashford when we left. (ping) Oh I'd better go and see what it is. I'll catch you guys later"

"Yeah sure! We'll save you a seat here" Milly waved off. But once she was gone the blonde president began to slouch on her seat as her mind drifted off another boy who was left behind in Area 11. She couldn't believe that Lelouch would be captured, but it was no denying it. Zero knew that Lelouch was the prince of Britannia and he probably kidnap him as a political hostage. But his name was counted among the dead so there was no way to prove that he was indeed the same Lelouch that died years ago. Even if the Black Knights did have him he would be nothing more but a burden to them.

"Milly, is something wrong?" Nunnally asked suddenly which snapped the girl off her thoughts.

"Oh no… of course not. What makes you say that?" she replied going back to her cheerful mood.

"I can feel that you're worried" the young princess touched her friend lightly on her hand. "Your body is really tired too. You must get some rest…"

Milly was taken back by Nunnally's precise deduction but then remembered that all of her other senses were higher than normal. She soon returned to her old self and let out a small sad sigh. "Hehe… I guess you're the only one who can tell when a person's lying Nunnally"

"That's one of my talents after all" she smiled back even though her whole body was wrought with fear. "Is it about Lelouch? (Hmm?) Please… don't worry about him. He'll come back to us. I know it. He promised me that he would and he's never broken a promise before. He'll come back… I know he will"

Milly then flashed a hopeful smile at her. "You really have a lot of faith in your brother huh?"

"I do…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other side of the lobby, Shirley had just arrived on the scene where she was supposed to meet. Once she was there, she saw the two receptionists on the table area were engage with several conversations simultaneously and was having a hard time keeping up with the bandwagon. "Excuse me…" she tried to reach out but her voice was muted by the roar of several parents who were looking for their children. "Excuse me. Pardon, but you were. Oh come on!" she let out a groan before suddenly noticing a small boy with long gold hair approaching her. "Huh? Oh sorry. Am I blocking you?"

"Oh no, not at all" V2 smirked. "I was actually looking for you, Shirley Fenette. I was the one who called you"

"You? But I thought…"

"Please pay them no mind. Your documents are being processed as we speak" the boy cut her off while gesturing to his hands. "Oh but first, allow me to introduce myself. I am… V2. (V2?) Yes… that is correct. However… I would find it better if we had our conversation in a different environment. Please follow me. There are some people I would like you to meet and a lot of things we need to discuss"

**(Government bureau) (Hanger bay development center)**

But while Zero was out preparing for his trip to the Chinese Federation, Kallen made her way to the hanger to see if Rakshata had made any progress in developing the FLOAT system for the Guren. She knew that if she didn't then she wouldn't be able to follow Zero to Luoyang – Vermillion, where the party was supposedly being held. In there, Rakshata, Lloyd and his assistant Cecile were there as well.

"Hey Rakshata" she asked upon entering the construction room. "I was wondering if the FLOAT system for the Guren was ready and… bwaa!" she was stopped when Lloyd's face approached hers. "Wh… you…"

"Oh… so this is the pilot of the Guren?" Lloyd inquired rather discerningly. "What a surprise"

"Lloyd, please" Cecile pulled him back. "I'm sorry about that. He doesn't go out much so he doesn't know how to interact with regular people" but then she suddenly get a feeling that they've met before. "Oh… I'm sorry… but have we met? Your face looks very familiar…"

"We met at the hanger bay earlier this morning" Kallen replied slightly shocked.

"No… not that. I think we've met much earlier than that… but I don't seem to remember…"

"Enough about that" Rakshata pulled her away. "You're asking for something?"

"Huh? Oh right. I was wondering if the FLOAT system for the Guren was ready. I thought that I might test fly it"

"Sorry, but it's still in experimental stages" the scientist replied. "The system of the Guren is way more complicated than a simple Knightmare. Installing a FLOAT unit on it will only drain its energy. You won't even make it across the East China sea with it"

"You see, the FLOAT system that I developed has a lot of dependence on Sakuradite energy" Lloyd admitted. "So thanks to that, you won't get more than a few hours in the air"

"But what about the spare ones that you found in the storage?"

Rakshata waved her tobacco pipe before pressing a button on the console which revealed a detailed blueprint of the machine. "Other than the Lancelot unit, these little gizmos that the Earl of Pudding developed are only compatible with Sutherlands at the moment. Burais uses a small energy filler so the best they'll hold out is about 5 hours tops. For the Guren however… I will have to develop a new device entirely just for it. The Gawain system has its own FLOAT unit and it can contain up to two energy fillers which allows it longer operation time"

"In other words… the Guren won't be able to fly for now" Cecile added which they all nodded in agreement.

"But Zero is leaving in three hours!" Kallen yelled out panicky. "How am I supposed to protect him if I don't have the Guren with me? I piloted Sutherlands before but they're not as good as the Guren"

"I'll take that as a compliment" Rakshata chuckled. "But sadly, you're not the one going with him. (Huh?) Zero already made the arrangements. He's taking Elie on one of the Blue Sutherland and the other pilot seems to be one of the boy's trusted acquaintances"

"Wait! He picked his men… without even informing me!? That's absurd!"

"It's his call. But really you should…" she wasn't even able to finish when Kallen already left the room through the same door she came in. "Oh… what a silly girl. Falling head over heel for a masked man"

"A devoted soldier ey?" Lloyd humored. "Very much like Suzaku. Of course… unlike him he would sometimes resolve things with violence" he rubbed his right cheek where he remembered Suzaku punching him. "I only hope Zero is more fortunate than I am"

But just as they were continuing with the test for the new FLOAT system, Cecile finally decided to ask Lloyd the question that has been bothering her for quite some time now. "Say Lloyd…… why did you choose to betray Britannia? (Hmm?) I mean… Zero gave us a choice didn't he? He allowed us to choose to either go back to Britannia… or join him"

"Well, what brought this up all of a sudden?" the sociopath asked with his usual grin still plastered on his face. "I thought you would stick with me no matter whatever choice I made. I believe those were your exact words if I'm not mistaken"

"But still… why? Was it because of data alone? If that's so then…"

Lloyd noticed that a small trickle of tear was already forming around her eyes. He was not one who would care for such petty human emotions but this situation made him look like the bad guy all of a sudden. He chose to ignore it for a moment, but when Rakshata gave him the 'look' he let out a sigh. "It was to save our lives" he answered finally which his partner grinned evilly upon. "When Zero offered us to go home to Britannia and joining him he was obviously telling us whether to live or die"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Think about it. If we chose to return back to Britannia, what do you think the nobles would say? To think that Zero would actually give up a valuable piece like me back to the hands of the enemies? Oh now that would be too easy. He's far more complex than that and that choice questionnaire he gave me is proof of that. If we head back to the homeland, the military would immediately out rule us as spies no matter how much we deny of it and arrest us for interrogation. You'd be demoted to a janitor and I'll probably be executed for defection. I'd give myself about two days top before they tie me to a bar and shoot me"

"You're really sure about that? That Britannia would execute you?"

"Of course" he confirmed without a moment's hesitation. "That's just the sort of country Britannia is. So you see. I only did it for my sake. I surely don't want to die and joining with the Black Knights, I managed to gain some new data that I thought was almost impossible. So I'd say it's a win-win situation for me" she let out a sinister laugh. "I get to live and I get to continue my work… and… that also means that you're still stuck with me. Hmm hmm hmm hmmmmm!" he said in a playful tone.

The explanation brought some peace to Cecile's heart. But even though she was glad to be alive, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty of betraying her country. Not wanting others to see her cry she walked up to back and let out a little sob which was left unheard by the other scientists.

"Looks like you're growing a little heart there, Earl of Pudding" Rakshata commented which her partner simply shrugged it off.

"Yes, I guess I must be growing up in the world. Sometimes I even wonder how she even became my assistant. She's too emotional unlike us"

"We're professionals. We need no explanations"

"I guess that's one way to put it…"

Ping…

The sound of a microwave alarm bell collected their attention.

"Oh right that reminds me" Cecile returned to her cheery self as she pulled out a plate from the microwave. "I made some snacks for everyone. I hope you like it. I put a lot of work in this. I believe they're my best batch yet. They're lovely baked cookies with wasabi sauce and vinegar mixed with…"

When the mere mention of Cecile's cooking came to light, Rakshata's face was immediately paled with such a level that would scare the dead back to their graves. "Tell me Lloyd… has her cooking improved, by any chance?"

"Apparently, no… but she has been taking cooking classes" the man's eye twitched a little as they darted towards the nearest exit. "But coincidentally, every teacher that came in, seemed to have suffered mild discomforts in their stomachs a few days after. The chefs of the school quit their careers upon that point"

**(Commander's room)**

C2 tapped the eye piece of her favorite Cheese-kun toy while on the bed wearing nothing but her undergarments. Zero was resting his eyes a bit on his chair but his attention constantly glanced towards the computer monitor from time to time. "So you're really going to do this?" the witch asked suddenly. "You're seriously going to take down the Chinese Federation?"

"In such a way that we won't be viewed as invaders" Zero corrected. "But to do that I will have to make some connections within the ranks of the High Eunuchs first. It should be an easy task with my Geass. However their central government including the empress will be difficult to take down. I'll probably need help from India and Burma and perhaps some Intel from the Todomo Agency in Cambodia. Schneizel funds that company so I might be able to get something from them"

"It will take awhile to make such contacts… even with the Geass, you are still just one man. It might take months, maybe even years"

"That's why I decided to spread myself across the country. Using Elie and Jeremiah's contacts and several other agents I've deployed on the field, the task of instigating my little coup d'etat will take no longer than a few months time. The military leaders of that faction is also disorganized so they'll easily fall before my might"

"Using all your resources available to take down a single faction huh?" C2 grinned. "And not to mention that you're using your apprentice for something so trivial"

"He's progressing well for his first days" Zero smirked back. "He's calm, collected and now has a certain degree of skill in combat and tactical thinking. All I need to do now is to test how capable he really is. If he proves incompetent then he'll just be another piece on the board. And Jeremiah is another thing. He doesn't mind killing as long as his service comes from me directly. Oh… that also reminds me C2, there was a question I wanted to ask"

"Hmm? And what's that?"

"Other than yourself, is there anyone else who has the ability to grant another person a Geass?" but the boy never received his answer when he heard a knock coming from the door. "Hmm? Come in" to his surprise, it was Kallen who was at the door. "Kallen, what are you…"

"I want answers!" she bellowed out before locking the door behind her. "Is it true!? Did you pick the guards that were to accompany you to the Chinese Federation Capital?"

Zero looked back at her a bit puzzled at first not knowing why she was so pissed off but he answered her back anyway. "Yes. That is correct. I have. Elie and another one of his pilots will be accompanying me to the Luoyang. I thought that wouldn't be a problem since they've proven their skills on the battlefield"

"But why wasn't I in!? I'm your Elite Guard, I should go with you and…"

"Bringing more troops and more Knightmares will be dangerous. The Chinese will think of it as an invasion and if that happen they'll cancel Kaguya's invite. Besides… the Guren's FLOAT unit hasn't been developed yet"

"But still… I could've accompanied you on one of the Sutherlands"

"Why is this bothering you so much?" Zero questioned now slightly annoyed. "For the past two weeks you have been working nonstop Kallen. I thought that you might enjoy your time to relax for a bit"

"I'm a soldier. There's no time for rest for me"

"Oh?" Zero raised a quizzled eye. "Is that the same reason why you haven't gone to visit your mother?"

"Ugh… well I… t… that's not the point! The point is that you're treating me like another piece! Haven't I proven myself when I defeated the Knight of the Round? Bringing me along is just like bringing an army!"

"That's just all the more reason why you shouldn't be there" C2 stated flashing a small smirk. "With your wild attitude, you might even start an international incident"

"Who asked for your opinion!?"

"Kallen…" Zero suddenly spoke up silencing both of them. "What are you so frustrated about? You've already done your share of work. You've been traveling with me around Japan and done more work than many of the Black Knights or… is it because you think I'm throwing you away and replacing you with a better pilot?" the mere thought of it was enough to make Kallen quiver on her feet but hearing it from Zero himself made it ten times worst. As the young Ace of the Black Knights trembled to the fear of losing her position, Zero could only watch and sigh. But when he saw C2 giving him the 'look' he made an even bigger sigh. He stood up from his seat and held Kallen by her shoulder almost going in for a full embrace.

She gasped. "Z… Zero?"

"Kallen… don't you ever think like that for a minute. You are a valued combatant and I wouldn't want anyone else watching my back. You are after all… the only one I would trust with such a task. But you must know that strength alone can only get you so far. The time for swords and shield are over for now. At the moment there is another battle I must face but it a battle that only words are allowed and you yourself are ill equipped to face such a battle. I need you here now… Kallen… and your mother needs you… more than ever. (Geh…) Don't cry. The Ace of the Black Knights shouldn't be showing signs of weakness, isn't that right?"

"I… I'm not crying!" she blurted out with small shots of tears falling down her eyes. "I just got something in my eye"

"Of course… pollens are actually quite infectious this time of year"

After she had let out a few sniffs out of her nose and a few garbled words slip her mouth, Kallen reformed herself and patted her flight suit up to remove all the invisible stain of dirt. She couldn't know… no… she did know what he was trying to tell her, but she refused to accept it. "Alright… I understand. I'll wait for you back at the base then" she said finally through a small series of small sobs.

"Please do" Zero replied happily for the first time in years. "I'll be departing soon so try to help with whatever you can back here"

"I will sir…"

And with just that, she left the room leaving a tired boy and his witch behind to remain on standby. But as soon as the masked hero returned to his seat in a tired motion, C2 couldn't help but smirk. "You really are a womanizer. One little push of effort and already you had her tingling with sensation. Maybe you should be more concerned about that mask of yours"

"You could say that it's a natural Geass that I possess…" Zero replied chuckling all the while. "The power to control people's hearts"

"I guess I was wrong. A womanizer is too low for you……… a devil is what you really are"

"If I'm a devil then obviously you're the succubus. Anyway, I'll take that as a compliment then. Anyway C2, about my previous question. Are there any…"

But he was interrupted again by the speakers. "Master Zero. The Gawain is prep for launch. Please come to the Knightmare hanger on level 6"

**(Prime Minister's room)**

"La la la… la lala la!" that was the sound of lady Kaguya Sumeragi singing as she spun around in her room that afternoon. She was currently raiding her closet looking for the perfect dress to wear to the party. Kimonos and clothes of different colors, types and from different cultures laid scattered on the floor. It was like looking at a regular teenage girl's room who was being very picky to go to her first prom. "Now what should I wear? Should I pick my usual white or go for the pink frilly dress? Maybe I should go with Zero like a pretty black princess? Oh how will I ever choose?"

"Lady Kaguya?" came one her female subordinates voice from the door. "Aren't you ready yet? The shuttle is waiting for you on the runway. Zero himself is already prepping the Gawain to launch. You should go down there immediately"

"In a minute" she replied in a cheerful tone. "A girl needs to look her best when going out on a party this big. Society like us today never forgives even to just a simple mistake. Now let's see… how about yellow? Ooohh… how about blue with a butterfly? This one looks absolutely adorable! Oh boy. I'll probably just have to bring all of them to my resort and try them all there. Lala la lala lalala"

On the other side of the door, the secretary and the other four member of Kaguya's chosen cabinet couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing her song.

"You know… she's never like that when she's with us" said one of the older men.

"Yeah… you're right. Whenever we're at the conference table she's always so serious"

"She maybe a little girl but she knows how to play politics. She's definitely a niece of Prime Minister Kururugi"

"But isn't it a bit sad?" the female subordinate chuckled. "The only time she ever acts her age is when she's talking about Zero or when she's talking to him"

"Yeah… I guess that masked man certainly got her charm after saying that she was his public face"

"But I'll probably never understand her taste. What does she see in that man anyway? You can't even see his face, how can you possibly even trust him?"

"Well he did liberate Japan after all. Even if we could voice our opinion, I doubt anyone would listen. That guy is a hero to the people's eyes now"

But while they laughed it out outside, they did not know that Kaguya herself was already stuffing all of her clothes into one giant suitcase inside. After she had packed something that looked like a month supply of hair care products she began to notice most of her clothes sticking out of the edges like some kind of overstuffed sandwich. "Oh dear… did I pack too much?" but she was cut off when her phone began to ring. "Hello? (whisper) Oh hey there. What's up? (whisper) Huh? Umm hmm… emm hmm…… emm hmmmmmmmmmmmm. (Long pause) Oh wow that's a wonderful idea!!! I definitely support this! Yes yes, absolutely yes! I'll gather everyone!" after hanging up the caller she quickly dialed a fast line. "Hello? Yes, air base command tower? Yes, this is Prime Minister Sumeragi. I have a request: I want you to delay the flight to Luoyang. (???) Yes, this is a direct order from the Prime Minister herself. No arguments or questions are allowed. Oh and in the mean time, can you patch me to the Black Knights deputy commander's office? Yes thank you, of course I'll wait"

**(Knightmare prep bay)**

The prepping storage area for the Knightmares was a place only Knightmare pilots are allowed to enter. It was made specifically for them so to ensure that no saboteur would be able to mess with the mightiest war machines on earth. This was the place where pilots were deployed before moving onto the battlefield. Small farewell parties were given here, commander briefings were made here and even a restroom was provided to those who needed to 'go' before their mission started.

It was a place of respite for all pilots and today of course was of no exception… for Elie and Jeremiah Gottwald.

"Jeremiah? You're here…" Elie said a bit quizzled. "I thought you were still in your room"

"A Knight of our status is always on time for battle" he replied a bit sorely. "If he's not on time then he is early…"

"Yeah… my instructor said the same thing back when I was still in training" they both stood shoulder to shoulder in their new uniforms like a pair of crowned leaders waiting for their sword to finish polishing. "Are you sure no one saw you? It'll raise a stink if anyone did…"

"Please… you underestimate me" Jeremiah grinned before folding his arms together. "I thank you for taking care of me when I was readjusting to my new body. If it weren't for you I would've been put in harms way for his highness"

"Hey no prob… we're partners aren't we? Besides… we were once knights before. You were a knight of noble status and I was a Knight of Honor made by Prince Clovis"

"Yes I heard that you sacrificed that title to save a large number of Elevens back in a small city to the north"

"Yup. Cost me a lot… but it was definitely worth it" he flashed out a wide smile before turning to the two Sutherlands in front of them. Both of which were equipped with FLOAT units attached to their backs. "But right now I got bigger things to worry about. Like trying to make sure that our glorious leader isn't going to get killed on this little trip to China. And that night when we were made Knights again gave me the chills"

Jeremiah finally saw why Lelouch made Elie his apprentice. It was certain that his skills and talents in Knightmare combat and tactical thinking played a big role in his advancement and his confidence was a little wavery but in truth, the real reason why he became his apprentice was because he possessed something only very few had. It wasn't something that one would notice at first But when you noticed it, you can not unnoticed it. "Don't look so down. You should be pleased since you're in the service of the Britannian Royal Family"

"But you're doing this out of loyalty. Unlike you… I don't really have much of a motivation" the boy slumped on his back and leaned against the wall. "To be honest, I didn't want to be a soldier in the first place"

"You wanted to be an artist, did you not?" Jeremiah answered turning his head around. "I saw your sketchbooks when I was recovering in your room. Quite artistic but I must say that you like to draw birds a lot"

"Ah… you saw that?" he rubbed his head slightly embarrassed. "Those were one of my earlier works, but yeah… I did want to become an artist. You could say that it was my only hobby back then. But my dad was really against it. I went to military training early and became the fifth youngest Knightmare pilot in the army. I had quite a record in the force but I guess that's all hot air compared to now. I bet they already got word of my defection and are working on the papers to seize my family land"

"Aren't you worried about your sisters?" Jeremiah recalled seeing a picture of the boy's family in a frame back when he was staying at his room. "They might be forced from their homes"

"I wouldn't worry about them. They can handle themselves I'm sure. I'm more worried about the ones who would try to kick them out of the house. Anyway, what about you Lord Jeremiah? Don't you have a family to worry about?"

"I do…" he answered without a hint of worry behind his tone. "But I'm not worried either. My little sister Lelicia can be a handful on her own. Besides… my name has already been on the list of dead. My father probably held a burial for an empty coffin. But as long as I serve our lord and master till my dying breath, I am satisfied. Call it a life long dream if you will"

"That's some dedication and to think it all sprung out of Lady Marianne's son. But are you sure you want to do this? (Hmm?) I mean… you do know that Zero is planning a war with Britannia. We'll eventually have to fight against our own people and… it won't be a surprise if we encounter another member of the royal family as well. Can you do it? Can you kill your old comrades, just like that?"

"Back when I was in Hokkaido two years ago, I had a similar mission" Jeremiah began, avoiding the question completely. But truthfully he was actually answering with a small story in his big book of life. "Yes… it was on a stormy night. A group of radical soldiers deserted the ranks of their companies and formed a group together called the Anti-Britannia Army. They weren't big but they posed a big threat to Britannia itself"

"I never heard of such a defection. It should've been on the news"

"It was covered up using story: 224"

Elie sighed at this. "Ah… a small resistance group captured Knightmares from the base and were executed? Classic cover up"

"Yes… in fact these deserters were very much like you Mr. Deledantes" Jeremiah continued. "Like you… they were infatuated with the Elevens and gave up their titles to create a new world. The higher ups buried this story deeply and even classified their names as well. If word got out that our own soldiers were turning against us, then distrust among our own ranks would grow. So in short… I was picked by the high command to eradicate this stain"

"The firefight at point 6…" Elie recalled a similar report being given back then. "I should've known. So did you kill them?"

"Without even a moment's hesitation" was the knight's answer. "They were stationed in the plateau just as the reports said. All of them were experienced fighters. Veterans of the campaign of the occupation of Japan but their time spent here weakened their loyalty. I went in alone when they were out camping at night. When I launched my surprise attack at them I didn't wait to hear their pleas of surrender. I just pulled the trigger and let my hands do the rest. You may think of me as cold and heartless, but in all cases… my loyalty strides all. The people's opinion of me is none of my concern"

Elie froze there on his spot as the words sunk into his head. He was marveled yet terrified of Jeremiah. The man held true to his own code and was not easy to break with just mere words. "Dang… that's deep…"

"So you see… I won't have any difficulty fighting against our old allies. My loyalty lays with one and one alone. But what of you Elie? (Huh?) Are you ready to fight against the crown and the people as well?"

"I already made that decision when I joined up with the Black Knights. I killed my share of comrades on our last battle but… I guess you do deserve an explanation" he let out a small cough before taking his position in front of his Blue Sutherland. "About three years ago… on the battle for Area 12… or Brazil… as it was used to be called: I had a mission there too. There was a small town situated in a slightly active volcanic island at Southern Atlantic Ocean that belonged to the State of Espirito Santo Brazil. The last remnants of the Brazilian force were stationed there but the siege was not going well. Four of our battalions were deployed up front to face their defenses head on while my unit struck in from the rear. I was just recently promoted to sergeant that time to fill in the ranks of the soldiers"

"Are you talking about the slaughter of Trindade?"

"The very same" Elie answered looking a bit grim. "Our high command was overconfident with their continuous chain of victories so it was obvious that they would get carried away at that decisive battle. When the battalions moved in they were annihilated by their artilleries. My unit tried to make it but our path was block by resistance groups. When the attack failed the entire fleet was soon surrounded by the enemy. So when that happened to I was instructed to carry out my final mission: To use an experimental Radiant Wave Bomb on the unstable volcano to trigger a chain reaction. The plan worked and the Brazilian forces were wiped out, but along with it were our comrades. I knew from the start that the plan would kill everyone… even the civilians, but I did it anyway. The lava swallowed up everything and melted anyone who touched it"

"And that's when you received the nickname… the Blue Baron" Jeremiah would've laughed if the atmosphere wasn't so tense. But he kept his seams held. "Taken from the man who was rumored to be responsible for arresting and killing Tiradentes, the revolutionary… how tasteful that your title should fit the bill perfectly. The Blue Baron: the one that takes away hope… and harm all those who follow it"

"You're pretty sharp for a soldier"

"I came from the esteemed family of Gottwald" he replied grinning. "Nothing escapes my ears"

"Of course…" But then their little bonding time was cut off when they noticed their Sutherlands were prepped on the runway and ready for launch. "It's time. Let's go Jeremiah…… to our first assignment… as Knights of Zero…"

"Hup…"

As they got on board their frames Elie checked in with the com tower to see what was going on. There wasn't any sign of a storm this morning so the delay had to be something technical. "This is Elie, what's the reason for the delay? We were supposed to be out of here an hour ago"

"Sorry sir" came the soldier's reply on the other line. "But the delay was ordered by Prime Minister Kaguya"

"Lady Kaguya? What for?"

"Uh… she only said that it was a surprise, sir…"

Jeremiah raised a brow at this. "A surprise?" he turned his head to Elie. "Maybe we should check this out"

"Agreed" he switched on the com unit again just in case. "Com tower. Open the hanger bay doors. We'll move in with the Gawain. (Understood)" the giant bulkhead door of the hanger area then began to open under his orders. It's strong giant pad locks unclipped and the emergency signals activated telling everyone within the vicinity of what was happening. But just when both Knights of Zero exited the hanger area, their eyes suddenly widened upon the sight before them. "T… this is…"

**(Government bureau lobby) (05:45 PM Sunset)**

Zero arrived not a minute later that day at the lobby area as instructed by the crew members of the shuttle. He wasn't one who would take orders but he didn't mind. After all he was just waiting for Sumeragi to arrive but the girl seemed to have a knack of keeping things behind schedule. Already his flight had been delayed for an hour thanks to that girl and now he even began to wonder if all girls were like this.

When Kaguya arrived she was accompanied by her cabinet members and a few Black Knight guards guarding her sides. The moment she approached, Zero lowered his head a little in respect. "Prime Minister Kaguya. How wonderful to see you again…"

"And you as well Master Zero. I was hoping to join you on your two weeks trip around the country but I was kept quite busy here"

Zero laughed. "Well it's only part of being leaders of people. There's no rest for the politics"

"Agreed" Kaguya replied in her usual cheery mood. "Oh… and is lady C2 going to accompany you as well?"

"Yes, she's my accomplice after all" he motioned to the green haired witch who stood smiling behind him. "If it were not for her… I wouldn't have been born at all. But enough chatter for now. We're already behind schedule and I do not doubt that the empress of China would be delighted to see us"

"Yes indeed. But first master Zero, we have a little surprise for you~!"

"A surprise?" Zero raised a quizzled look even though no one could see it.

"Yes, please. Come on. Everyone's waiting!" she then began pulling the man by the hand forcefully with all her might. Even though she was just a little girl she really had a tight grip around her.

When Zero exited the room he soon found himself at the runway where the shuttle was prepped for launch. But what awaited him there was probably one of the most ridiculous things he had ever come to know. "What the?" it was perhaps one of the very few times when the man himself would gasp. Out there standing by the runway were about hundreds of Black Knight soldiers standing in attention as if waiting for him.

"Master Zero!" shouted one of the younger recruits.

"Have a safe journey sir!"

"Don't forget about us now!"

There was an abrupt number of cheers handed down followed by hats being thrown into the air and shouts beckoning from the background. There were just too many voices to interpret who was saying what.

"What's the meaning of this?" Zero asked Kaguya a bit puzzled.

But Ohgi, who was standing with the rest of the original members decided to answer it for her. "It's our farewell to you" he said happily like a new born man.

"Yeah! Since you couldn't join us on our little parties we thought that seeing you off was the least we could do for you" Inoue added. "It's our way of saying thank you… for everything you've done for us"

"That's why we had to delay the flight for a bit. To buy us some time in gathering everyone here to join us"

Even Tohdoh himself was there to give the man his farewells. Though he was silent at time, Kaguya could see that he was muttering a silent thank you on his lips. She smiled at this seeing how men could be so prideful of their toughness. "But the real person who you should thank is Ms. Kallen! She was the one who organized this after all" the Prime Minister pointed towards the girl in question who had a soft smile on her face. Chiba was beside her as well now clad in a Black Knight flight suit that was made specifically for her.

If only the people could see how embarrassed Zero was right now would they actually laugh at this moment. He never actually thought that the Japanese would hold such a ridiculous event just for his sake. "Tch…" to hide his embarrassment, he gave out a scoff. "This is a complete waste of time. Instead of coming here to see me off you could all be helping with the repairs of the country. Now our schedule will be have to be redone all over again"

"Aww… is the little devil shy?" C2 teased which Zero simply shrugged away.

"Whatever… do whatever you want…" Zero then moved his cape away and paced his walk to the Gawain.

But the closer members could see that the man was blushing. To actually hide his cute side with a tough-cold man act wasn't very well hidden. To think that such a moment was actually worth the wait.

When the parade died down a bit, Kaguya and Kallen simply grinned at one another and gave each other a thumb's up sign showing that the plan had worked perfectly.

When Zero got on board his Gawain he immediately turned on a private channel to talk with his two Knights. Elie's voice was the first to contact him. "My lord, are you well?"

"Don't even speak about it Elie" Zero replied still a little flushed. "I don't feel like talking at the moment"

"He's not much of a people person" C2 added with a slightly humored tone. "You could say that he's quite shy when meeting people he's not familiar with. A crowd who cheer for him unexpectedly is one of his kryptonite"

"C2…!" Zero groaned irritatingly.

"Oh come on now. Lighten up will you? It's not everyday you get this kind of a mass to come and see you off"

"That's enough both of you" Jeremiah's voice came in breaking the teasing moment. "Enough tease. We have important issues to worry about"

"Jeremiah…" Zero was taken back by the man's sudden appearance. "How's your body handling?"

"Never better my lord. With the readjustments you've given me, I feel like a new man"

"Sorry for not being able to visit you"

"Think none of it your highness. If you had visited me then it would arouse suspicion among the soldiers. I am yours to command. My loyalty to you and to Lady Marianne is absolute…"

"Your loyalty will be tested in time. But for now let us be off. The Chinese Federation won't wait forever"

"Yes, your majesty…" the two knights replied in unison before switching off their monitors.

It wasn't long till the three Knightmares took their position near the shuttle that carrying Lady Kaguya. But even with that done, Zero couldn't help but notice all the frames that had taken up position at the airstrip. Burais were positioned in a salute stance one both sides and captured Sutherlands were waiting along the towers, ready to shoot fireworks into the evening sky. Before long after the plane had launched, they followed not far behind in a triangle formation.

As they went off westward towards the Chinese Capital, Ohgi let out a small smile as he knew that the little farewell was excellently played out. "Heh… good luck…"

"Commander Ohgi!" came a soldier's voice as he sprinted his way towards the man. "We got trouble! There's an interceptor coming in from the rear lines! Our radar system just detected it a few minutes ago!"

"What? Is it one of ours?"

"No sir, we don't think so. It's moving faster than a jet"

"What? Is it a remnant of the Britannian army?"

"We're still confirming that sir"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the shuttle, Kaguya was giving out a happy sigh to herself as her task to get Zero embarrassed was a success. Though it was a cruel trick to play on someone so important, she really needed to get that guy to loosen up and a prank like this was just what he was needed for such an event. She only wished that she could've gotten a camera to record all of that event but knowing Zero he would probably make a it a priority to erase such an embarrassing moment.

"Well that was fun" she said to herself before chuckling to the monitor of the flight schedule. "We should probably do it again teehee"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But in the meanwhile, Lelouch himself was discussing some details with his two knights. Though the leader of the Black Knights was determined to destroy Britannia, he knew that acting recklessly would only lead to the destruction of his army. Even though Britannia's military force was in disarray, they still retained a power that was not to be reckoned with.

The Knights of the Round, a small detachment of pilots whose sworn loyalty are to the emperor of Britannia alone. They were the pinnacle of Knightmare pilots, aces that can take out armies like the Ace of the Black Knights. Right now, Lelouch alone with his small band of elites would be no match to it and facing them head on was simply a suicide attack. That's why he needed more. Not more soldiers or better frames…… he needed pilots that would be a match against them. Those whose capabilities can rival the best of the best Britannia could throw.

If Britannia could find such talented pilots in their own nations… there was bound to be a few of them outside the country who would be willing to lend them a hand. No matter where they were or where they came from, the young prince was determined to find them. He will find them… he must find them. For if he does not then Britannia would trample over his revolution like trash that was waiting to be disposed.

"So your highness…" Elie spoke first. "You're seriously going to take down the Chinese government?"

"That will be done at a later time" Lelouch nodded not bothered at all that his mask was off. "Now that Japan is still recovering, getting the country involved would only weaken my image"

"What will you do your highness?" Jeremiah asked. "Will you fight Britannia with only the Black Knights then? Even so, the organization alone can't take down an empire"

"Which is why I'm going to gather support from the Chinese Federation. If they agree to my terms then fighting Britannia will make up evenly"

"The Chinese Federation doesn't exactly have the best fighting force your majesty" Elie added putting up a small screen showing the statistics that he had found. "The Alliance of nations that we see now boasts of having the largest population in the world. But in truth… you could probably call it a dottering civilization. The symbol of their alliance is the empress, Tianzi, the sole heir to the rightful late emperor Je Fu and late empress Sun Feilong. Both previous rulers were killed during a rebellion at Jakarta. The ruling class of the federation which control society from within the family are the High Eunuchs. They were advisors from different nations but after death of the emperor they have grown exceedingly tyrannical"

"Politicians…" Jeremiah spat. "With just a sip of power they start to think themselves as gods. I smell a ploy in this"

"It doesn't matter now" Lelouch cut him off. "Even if they are evil they control the people. Our first priority will be to sever their ties with the population and find a way to usurp their power. So until then, they are to remain unharmed"

"Yes sir…"

"As for the empress… she's too young to be making decisions on her own she'll probably just be a puppet for them. Gaining her to our side would speed up the process of our plan. Since the federation isn't being controlled by Britannia, there won't be any honorary troops to defect with us"

Jeremiah nodded to this. "And the Chinese army boasts to be the largest in the whole world. I remember seeing the battle for Kyushu a few days ago in the reports. The detachment they sent were barely even a fraction of what we have"

"Then why don't we start our own coup?" Elie suggested. "If we can make the people of the federation start up a coup… we can use to get the people to back us up"

"That plan has already been put into motion" Lelouch answered with a bored expression. "During the battle of Kyushu I placed several soldiers there under the spell of my Geass. When the moment is right, I'll activate them prior to my plans"

"Thinking that far ahead?" Elie gawked in awe. "As expected of my master…"

"Flattery will get you no where" he smirked. But just when they were enjoying the complex conversation they were having, a radar blip suddenly appeared on screen followed by a call on the com system. "This is Zero, what is it?"

"Commander Zero" came the Black Knight soldier who was piloting the shuttle. "This is the flight number 634, carrying Lady Kaguya. Our long range radar has detected an unknown craft approaching on an intercept course"

"Is it one of ours?"

"No sir. We're checking it now. Stand by. H… hey wait a minute! It's a… it's a Knightmare! Enemy Knightmare approaching!"

It was then another com channel broke in. "Zero! This is Ohgi! We've just confirmed an unknown craft approaching your location! It's… it's the Lancelot!"

"Then it's…"

"Suzaku Kururgi…" Elie finished as he turned his Knightmare in the direction of the enemy. "The White Knight of Princess Euphemia. So he's come. Jeremiah!"

"Right!" his partner nodded as he readied his assault rifle. "Let him try us!"

"Be careful you two" Lelouch warned them. "You may be ace pilots but your no match against Suzaku in terms of specs"

"This is the first time I'll be fighting in the air as well" Elie motioned. "I've flown a few choppers back in the days but never an aerial Knightmare before"

"Well then…… I guess you and I will be getting this experience first hand! Come on!"

As the two knights got into formation they noticed a small spark coming from the distance. With a zoom of their Factspheres they quickly identified it as the Lancelot. It was fully armed from head to toe with two MVS (Maser Vibration Swords) and a VARIS (Variable Ammunition Repulsion Impact Spitfire) on its back and from what Lelouch can tell… the pilot himself was not in the best of mood so he would definitely be coming at them with everything he's got.

"Here he comes!" Elie was the first to spot him. With a push of a button he began sending out a barrage hail of bullets from his gun to try and get a lucky shot. "Come and get me soldier boy! If you want to get to his majesty, then you'll have to get through us first!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Jeremiah agreed and began firing a small barrage of missiles from his Knightmare shoulder pads. "Take this! The storm of my loyalty!" but the speed difference of the Lancelot was way superior to such meager attacks and his energy shield, which has been proven time and time again on the battlefield, simply bounced the bullets off with little effort. "No way! Not even a scratch!?"

"Both of you move out!" Lelouch ordered out which they complied. When Lancelot came into the range of the Gawain's Hadron Cannons, the young prince couldn't help but curse the boy for his impudent mind. _"Damn it Suzaku. Why now of all times? You could've lived peacefully in a remote location but you chose destroy me whatever the cost!?"_

"ZEROOOO!!!!!" Suzaku's voice rung loudly in his cockpit as he screamed the name of his most hated enemy. "Come! Come and face me here and now! You traitor!!!"

"Fine then! You can die along with your precious Euphemia for all I care!! Go and say hi to your father in hell!" he fired the weapon but as usual it missed. "Tch. Well then let's dance! Pilot!" he called out to the shuttle. "This area will become a battle zone soon! Take Kaguya to the Chinese Federation as planned! I'll deal with this interloper myself!"

"But sir…!"

"That is an order! Now go!" he switched the com off preventing anymore distraction. "C2, can you target the Lancelot?"

"Its speed and mobility are too great" she replied while trying her best to use the Druid system built within the Gawain to target the frame. "His movements are too much even for the lock target!"

"_Tch… and fighting in the air is still in experiment. The only one who ever had experience in aerial battle with a Knightmare would be Suzaku"_ Lelouch gritted his teeth and seethed his old friend's name. "We'll just have to make due! Come and get me!"

"I got you now!" Suzaku yelled out before charging his entire frame towards Gawain. "Take this!" but then his swords were suddenly blocked by a Sutherland's arm. "What the!?"

Elie was the one who stopped him. "You got a lot of guts coming back here! Burn!" he fired the flamethrower creating a wall of fire in mid-air. "Damn… I'm not used to aerial combat yet. Battling on the ground was a lot easier with a wall on my back"

"_A flamethrower?"_ Suzaku's eyes widened a bit. _"If I get hit by that, I'll be toast. I have to hit him as fast as I can and get Zero" _he then pressed a button making the FLOAT system go in reverse. "Get out of my way!" Suzaku laid a kick on the Blue Baron and flew to a higher altitude to get some distance. As he cast his gaze upon Lelouch's frame and the other two units that followed him he knew that he had to hurry if he was to destroy Zero. It was only a matter of time before the Black Knights hear of their precious leader being attacked and would definitely send reinforcements to assist him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And to his truth, the army was indeed in full mobilization. When word came of the attack, Tohdoh and Ohgi were first to hear of it. "What!? They're under attack!?" Kyoshiro barked worryingly. "In mid-air!?"

The soldier nodded. "Yes sir. We've already confirmed it with the visual data. It's the Lancelot and it's attached with a FLOAT unit"

"So it's fighting in the sky…" Tohdoh sighed trying to calm himself. "Send out the Burais and all air units we can muster! I don't care if it's just a chopper, send it all!"

"But they won't stand a chance against the Lancelot!"

"I don't care! Are we just gonna sit back while Zero is fighting against one of the strongest warriors on earth!? Send all of them now! And prep the Gekkas for launch!" the soldier saluted and quickly went back to send the orders. "We let down our guard for just one second and everything goes haywire… what a failure…"

It wasn't long then till Kallen and Chiba arrive on scene. "What's this about Zero getting attacked!?" she inquired worryingly.

Tohdoh sighed and knew that they would get here eventually. "The Lancelot has made his appearance once again" he answered. "The shuttle carrying Lady Kaguya was attacked but Zero and the other two have intercepted the enemy. We're currently deploying all our air units to face him"

"If that's the case then we'll go as well"

"But the Guren Mk. II isn't equipped for air combat"

"Who cares about that now!?" Kallen snapped. "The Zero Squad is Zero's personal guard. How can I not be there!? Besides… all we need to do is destroy the FLOAT unit attached on the Lancelot's back. If we can bring him to the ground and surround him we can defeat him. He's the only thing standing against Zero and it's time he paid back for all the crimes that he has committed"

Chiba nodded and somehow agreed to it. "She's right. The Zero Squad must at least participate in this battle. If we eliminate the Lancelot now it will clear up a lot of problems later and it won't break the Non-aggression Pact with Britannia since the pilot of that Knightmare is obviously Japanese. We could just say that it was a pilot that stole a remnant weapon from a base nearby"

Tohdoh would've gritted his teeth on this situation but now was not the time. He had already made the decision to follow Zero and he did so knowing that he may have to fight Suzaku one day. He knew that he told the boy to follow what he believed but now he was having second thoughts about that speech.

He knew from Diethard's intelligence force that Suzaku and Princess Euphemia were extremely close and now the probably being driven by the urge of revenge. It was something every man had in him: The need to kill or destroy something no matter what came in his way. Tohdoh had half a mind to try and talk Suzaku out of it but it was probably useless. He was far down the road of hatred for the man who killed his love one and there was no way to stop him. But even so… he couldn't allow. No… the whole Japan wouldn't allow it. They needed Zero and he was their only ray of hope for a brighter future. If Suzaku was going to snuff that light out of the blues just for the sake of revenge, then all of Japan would stand against his vengeance.

A/N: Get the feel for Kratos… the god of war!

"Right then. Zero Squad, you can move out! The Burais and all remaining ground forces are to converge on the target. Show no mercy! We have to protect Zero at all cost! I'll come along in my Gekka unit"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But they could not come fast enough for Suzaku was making mincemeat out of Lelouch and his knights. In skill, perhaps all of them were equal but in terms of firepower, speed and specs, Suzaku had it all. His Lancelot was more agile and its weapons were advance than the two Sutherlands that were following Lelouch. Only the Gawain's Hadron cannon could match up against the energy shield of the Lancelot but even that alone was still a hard shot to make. As the three of them desperately tried their best to even the odds, the soldier was just too much for them.

"Jeremiah!" Elie called out. "I've just got contact from the base. Reinforcements are on their way but it'll take some time before they even get here!"

"We can't allow him to cause anymore damage to his majesty" Jeremiah shuffled his weapon. "Elie. You and I will tackle him from both sides and pin him to a standstill. That should buy us enough time to let lord Zero fire the Hadron Cannon and obliterate him"

"That sounds reckless" the blonde boy grinned. "But if it's to crush him then so be it!" the two then did just that and began shooting the Lancelot on both sides. As expected, the frame could only defend one side while its other hand held a weapon. As they willingly tried to empty their guns of all ammo took another leap back trying to get into a more defensive position. "Geh! The speed on that thing is impossible! We'll have to engage it in close range combat! Jeremiah, you cover me!"

"Right!" they tried again with a different tactic and just as Elie predicted he was able to get close enough to use his flamethrower again. The intensity of that fire seemed to scare him and it should be since the heat radius was enough to melt metal together. "Elie. Use attack pattern four. I'll strike from the rear!"

"Understood!"

As Lelouch watched his knights battle from the other side of the cloud lines he could tell that his new pawns were indeed the best pick he had all year. They were talented, skilled and had the best leadership to command his underlings. "Are you sure you're not going to help them?" C2 brought to his attention gesturing her face towards the battle area. "Sutherlands are obviously no match for the Lancelot"

"Even so… they're proving themselves useful" Lelouch smirked. "Even if we did help the Lancelot has more speed than the Gawain. It's better to watch and observe. Besides… I'd like to see what my subordinates can do in a tight spot"

"Testing out your toys before sending them off to the carnival?"

"Toys? Heh… I guess your right. They really do act like my toys. But it doesn't matter. As long as these toys can provide results their needs won't matter"

Again the two Knights of Zero continuously changed tactics one after another, causing a flux in Suzaku's mind. _"Who are these guys? They're not regular pilots. Their tactics are stand up solid and they understand each other's thoughts completely. Even though they're just piloting Sutherlands they're skilled fighters. If this was an even match I would've lost already. But now's not the time. I have to hurry before their reinforcements get here! For Euphemia's sake"_

Suzaku then pushed Lancelot's speed to the test, ignoring the two Sutherlands completely. "Damn! He's going straight for Zero!"

"Not on my watch!" Jeremiah's face twisted in anger. "Take this!!" he then pulled the trigger to fire his last round of missiles to lay the Lancelot to waste, but to his surprise, Suzaku simply destroyed them using the VARIS gun. "Tch. Those weapons are of the next generation. We can't hope to match it!"

"The least we can do is try!!!" Elie then gave chase all the while shooting his assault rifle at the target. "Come on you little whitey! I'll take you down right here and now!"

Just as Suzaku was about to get the Gawain into the range of his weapon, he could suddenly feel several bullets hitting his rear armor. "Tch… damn. These guys are persistent! Fine I'll deal with you first then!" he quickly form a stance to aim his weapon.

"Good! Face me head on! I wouldn't like anything better!" and indeed, the two frames did faced each other head on in close combat. Though Elie had barely anything but his fists to counter, Suzaku still had plenty. The two of them traded blows with one another and each time they would block each other a blow would be given. They were evenly matched. But then, when Suzaku tripped on his trigger finger, Elie emptied his gun and gladly used it as a club to give out a few whacks at the Lancelot's factspheres on its breastplate. "Take that why don't ya!" with the opportunity given, the blonde boy grabbed the second MVS sword from its holster of the Knightmare and used it as his own. "Ok… now this is a more even fight!"

"Geh!? He's using my own weapons against me?! Well then! Here!" the two clashed again with their swords and they dueled it out like nothing else even mattered. They were evenly matched in terms of skill but other than that Suzaku held the most in firepower. "Ha!"

The two blades clashed but after a few dozen blows later, Elie could see that he was no match for him. "This… this can't be. The difference in power output is just too great! No matter what I try the specs of our machines are totally in different levels! Geh!" and when his energy filler showed signs of weariness he soon realized that he had given a chance to his opponent. "Aw crap!" with a single blow the Lancelot cut both of his Surtherland's legs and took out the arm carrying the flame thrower with one blow. "Damn it!"

"Surrender!" Suzaku insisted. "You no longer have a way to fight me!"

"You idiot! I still got one shot at you!" in a last desperate attempt to break the enemy, Elie aimed his cut off arm which still contained the gas tank of his flamethrower and fired it at the Lancelot. "Jeremiah, now!!"

"With great pleasure!" his partner yelled out before taking a good aim at the gas tank and firing upon the leaking oil. With the ignition, it caused a huge explosion in mid-air like a napalm bomb going off before it actually even reached its target. The explosion was so powerful that Elie had to use his Sutherland's good arm just to block it resulting in the melting of the sword.

"Did we get him!?" Elie punned. But his answer came rather swiftly when the blotted smoke was blown away by the strong South-East wind. "No way!" there he saw the Lancelot once again but this time its shield arm was slightly damaged. "That thing is a monster!! Tch!" he fired his Slash Harkens at him to try and take him down but it was useless.

"Sorry… but I have more important task to do right now" Suzaku muttered before delivering the finishing blow to the Blue Sutherland, cutting its FLOAT unit off. "Zero! You're my only target"

But Jeremiah was still far from finish in this battle. "Suzaku Kururugi!!" even with emptied clips and limited energy, the man was still determined to prove his loyalty. "You will not lay a finger on him!" but the Lancelot simply cut his body to shreds, leaving only one arm left to fend himself. "Damn you! You insolent little worm!" and just before he could counterattack he noticed the eject signal suddenly beeped out from his console. "Damn it! The auto eject again!? Don't you dare activate! I can still fight! I can still protect his majesty!!" but alas, he should've known better than to argue with a computer.

With both Sutherland escorts destroyed, Lelouch now stood alone atop the skies with little power to fend off the most dangerous enemy he fought so far. "Zero!!!!!" Suzaku yelled out. But just before he could reach the Gawain with his swords, a hail of gunfire suddenly cut off his route. "What the!?" as he looked down below he noticed several choppers and fighter jet planes approaching him at high speed. "Damn. I was too late"

"So… they made it" Lelouch grinned.

"This is Black Knight air division two" said the commanding officer. "All units, surround the Lancelot. It doesn't matter if it's state of the art, just shoot down its FLOAT unit and the ground troops will take care of the rest"

"This is air division three. Roger that. Our number one priority is to protect Zero. All units focus your attention around the Gawain unit"

As more and more air units began to appear, Suzaku knew well that Tohdoh was the one in charge of this. There was no doubt that he must've arranged such a large force against him. "Damn… there's too many of them. But even so… if I can take down Zero then I'll be free and clear!" and just when he charged right through again a flak bomb suddenly pounded in creating a cloud of smoke. "What the? Flak cannons?" when he looked below, he saw several grounded Knightmares firing prehistoric flak cannons into the air.

"Focus your fire on the Lancelot!" Kallen ordered the men. "Bring it down here and I'll take care of the rest! Third squad with me! Anti-air batteries, fire at will!"

"Kallen?" Lelouch's voice echoed from the com.

"Zero?" she was as surprised as he was when he contacted her. "Zero, it's me, Kallen. Listen. You need to get your unit down to lower ground where we can fight back. Most of our troops here won't be able to attack him from your height"

"Understood. Keep him busy while I retreat"

"Roger!" Kallen barked. "Chiba, take the Burai unit and head up to that hill over there. You have medium ranged weapons so you'll fair better!"

Chiba nodded and hastily made in with the Burais that awaited her. "Well… what who would've thought? Kallen can actually be a good commander after all" when she arrived, she immediately aimed her arm mounted gun at the Lancelot which seemed to have been pinned at the sky. "Alright. I'm in position"

With the troops all in place, Lelouch decided that it was better to run now and fight later. "Right. Let's get to lower ground. C2, move us out of here and into the nearby waterworks"

"Talk about convenience!"

With the Gawain slowly going to the distance, Suzaku's face quickly wrinkled with anger. "Damn it!!!! ZEROOO!!!!! I won't let you go! Once I get you I'm going to kill you!!" but he was halted again by another barrage from a separate group of Gekkas. "Geh!!!!? Master Tohdoh!!?"

"Don't let up!" Kyoshiro ordered. "Empty your guns if you have to! But whatever happens, we have to protect Zero!!"

"Yes sir!"

"Damn it! If this goes on it'll be too late! I have to… I have to… I have to… I have to live!!!" and within the voice of his words, the rings around his eyes began to surface, creating an aura of near invincibility. **"That's right… I have to live… I must… LIVE!!!!"** he then marched on forward, crushing every plane in his path. When his Knightmare reached the surface of the ground he was quickly encircled by the Black Knight forces. "Out of my way!!!" he fired his Harken Booster, creating an opening in the encirclement. "Zero. I must kill you! Princess Euphemia… will be avenged!!!!"

"That impudent fool!" Lelouch grunted inwardly as he fired the Hadron Cannon again. "Why can't you just die in peace!?"

"Not unless I take you with me!!!" Suzaku fired his VARIS again, hitting the Gawain on the shoulder and the knee with great accuracy. "I'll kill you right here and now!"

"Not on my watch!" the Guren then leaped out into the open along with Todhoh's Gekka force.

"Tch! Kallen!? Not this again!"

"Suzaku, surrender now!" Tohdoh demanded. "You're surrounded and outgunned! Why are you even fighting on the side of Britannia!? Japan is free so you should be too!"

"The freedom you all gained was through the blood of the innocents!" Suzaku reasoned. "You've all been deceived! Zero has been lying to you all along! Why can't you see that!?"

"Your ignorance and naivety hasn't changed at all! Are you going to snuff the only hope Japan has left!? And for what!? For your princess!? She was the one who murdered all of those people at the Japan Special Zone! It's the Britannians who have been lying to you!"

Suzaku paused and groaned as he saw the number of enemies increasing by the minute. "I have no need to explain myself to the likes of ignorant. Even so…… I will kill Zero. I will do so even if it costs me my life!"

Tohdoh gritted his teeth in regret. If only the boy realized what was really going on now. What was happening in the real world… then perhaps he would've been able to convince him. But now… that time has passed. The boy was blinded by his hatred and rage and no longer saw anything but his opponent and his target. He was far gone from salvation. "Very well then. Kouzuki, you're with me"

"Yes sir!"

"Senba, Urabe, Asahina, attack him on all sides"

"Roger!"

"Suzaku Kururugi, meet your end!" when all the Knightmares attacked at once, Suzaku quickly pulled out a defensive maneuver to fend off the attackers. But even with his advance talents on Knightmares, he was still no match for a full on assault by five talented warriors. "Take this! Scythe Cutting on Wheat!" Kyoshiro then swung his sword in an arch form cutting through the boy's VARIS and destroying his FLOAT unit in the process.

"Gah! My FLOAT unit!"

It was then Kallen's Guren appeared on screen. "Suzaku!" with a punch of her Radiant Wave Surger she crushed the near exhausted energy shield of the Lancelot, crushing the arm in the process. "This is your end. Sorry… but you have to die…"

"Damn it…" Suzaku cursed. His body was wounded from all the attacks and he could feel a trickle of blood flowing down his forehead. "This is it…… this is… all I can do…? Euphemia…… everyone…"

As Lelouch saw the Lancelot fell on its knee, he knew then that Suzaku was spent. Even though he had cut through his two knights with relative ease and slashed through the army that defeated the Britannian forces, he thought that this should be the moment where he should try to at least convince the boy to join. But… some how… the words he says now seemed rather pointless. "All forces…" he spoke softly through the open com channel. "Mow the Lancelot down and kill the pilot. He's interfered long enough. Make sure… he's dead. (Understood…) (click) Farewell… Suzaku…"

"All units! Aim at the Lancelot. Grind it to the dust" every machine of war that were present at that moment slowly lifted their weapons and aimed at the Knightmare that had long since been a hindrance in Zero's war. "Ready… and…"

Tohdoh lowered his sword and closed his eyes at this. "Good bye… Suzaku…"

But just when they were about to send the boy packing to hell, a sudden unexpected turn of events came to light. In a flash of a second, a giant red sigil of the Geass appeared on top of the skies changing the calm shade of blue to a distinct red. It was as if the whole world was changing to a more hellish version of itself.

All who saw it were paralyzed. None could help but gaze upon the mighty power of Geass. It was like a giant crooked cross tipping over to their side, blinding everyone to everything else. No one could escape its power and no one could help but stare at it.

"What the?" Lelouch gasped. "What the hell is going on?"

But C2 seemed to understand what was going on. But she was too terrified to say it. "No… V2. You would use that… here? Now of all times? But… why?"

"C2, what's going on? What's wrong?" Lelouch tried to shake her out of it. But before he could come through, the last thing he saw then… was the Lancelot charging straight at him with a sword stabbing towards his cockpit.


	8. A World Without Zero

**Chapter 8: A World Without Zero**

**A/N: I needed the time gap to further the advancement of technology. If the story continued from the previous chapter, we would still be fighting with limited FLOAT units.**

**(Tokyo) (Kallen's POV) (1 year later) (The Devil's Right Hand)**

I awoke that morning just like any other day by the sound of my alarm clock in my bed surrounded by my clothes which I forgot to stash in together in my closet. I guess I must've been more tired than I thought since I came home about one in the morning that night. As I shifted my eyes to the side I saw my alarm clock ticking to 07:15 AM. I still had some time before school so I should probably… wait… 07:15 AM?

"OH CRAP!!!" it was probably the poor choice of words of that particular day. "I thought I set this thing to six!? What the hell!?" the reason why I was panicking so much was because today was the day I start my school. I protested against this but Ohgi insisted on it saying that Naoto would like to see me back at school again. That guy always uses that punch line whenever we got into an argument. You could say that it was my shut up line or something. "Crap crap crap! I'm going to be late on the first day! This is so not happening!" as I got into my school uniform I hurriedly rush downstairs where my mother was placing some dishes on the table.

"Oh, good morning Kallen" she said softly to me just like she used to. "Would you like to have some…"

"Sorry, can't stay long!" I blurted out while putting on my socks. "My class starts in fifteen minutes and I'm gonna be late! Ahh man!" after adding the finishing touches to my hair I took out a slice of bread from the plate, gave a peck on mom's cheek and ran off towards the door. But not before getting a small memento from my secret table. It was my key system to my Guren, the Knightmare frame that I pilot.

As I left the house with a big rush I heard my mom shouting from behind. "Kallen! Wait! You forgot your lunch!"

"Just keep it in the fridge!" I replied not even slowing my pace. "I'll have it later for dinner! I'll call you! Bye!"

Being late on a school day wasn't something new to me. In fact… when I was in school… I was actually pretending to be weak and feeble. I believed it was called the Ashford Academy if I remember correctly. It was a place I wouldn't forget easily. Sure there were some crazy times, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. It was perhaps the best school I ever went to. The president of that place was rather crazy and over the top but she was a girl who knew how to party. There were many others too but the memories of those times just seemed rather hazy at the moment.

As I jumped onto the train carriage that was to take me to New Shibuya, I caught sight of the Black Knight's headquarters which was also known as the government capital. It was once the government bureau of Britannia a year ago but was later converted to a government building thanks to its technological resources. It now stands as the most important building in all Japan. From its different layered structures a branch was made to accommodate all of Prime Minister's cabinet members. There was a Health Section, a National Security Section, Economic Section, R&D Section and many more. But the most notable one was the building at the center most of the building which held the black flag of the hero that the people sang in praises.

The Section of the Black Knights.

It was a special area where only members were allowed. It was a special force that Lady Kaguya, our Prime Minister, hired to become the protectors of peace. On the day that Zero died, many of its members quit seeing that the leader was no longer existed. Out of all the thousand members we had then, it dwindled down to a few hundreds. But Kaguya requested them to remain active. She thought that with the Black Knights… they would still carry on Zero's wish of being the Knights of Justice.

Of course, I was a member too and I traveled to that sector many times before in my Knightmare. As of the moment, Ohgi was the leader. He had the talents but he definitely didn't have the confidence to lead others. I guess that must be why so many of us ran up and left the ranks. But even with our dwindled numbers, our pact remained strong. The original members stayed behind and even Kyoshiro Tohdoh often visited us to see how we were doing. He was the head of the Japanese army now but he was still a member of the Black Knights by heart.

Members of the Black Knights were highly looked upon by the people of Japan. There had been new recruits coming in from time to time but they were simply there because they were admired by our previous success. I still like to think back it from time. Back then, the Black Knights were a mighty military force capable of toppling Britannia. But now… we've become peacekeepers, a force that oversees the court of justice system and investigate corruption within the ranks of the government. A guard dog if you would say so.

But… that also reminds me…

It's been exactly a whole year since the Britannian forces were crushed by the Black Rebellion, the revolt instigated by Zero, the leader of the Black Knights or… I should say the former leader. Things have finally quieted down, even here in Japan. But even so… we could not let down our guard as we knew that Britannia would someday strike again. We had some minor clashes with them for the pass months but nothing too serious that can be escalated into a full scale war.

But all in all… Japan was finally on the peak of its strength. Thanks to Zero, the country was rebuilt even faster than when Britannia ordered administration in by Prince Clovis. In just a year's time, economy was settled equally and the country began to stand on its own two feet. There were still many problems though.

When the train car stopped, I was the first to exit the door. As I looked at my watch, I noticed I still had seven minutes left before the first bell. I was going to make it in time. After crossing through the security panels and area codes I raced myself towards the school gate that was closing. There wasn't going to be any classes on the first day that's for sure, but it was nice to be early for a change. Besides, I have an image to keep up as a member of the Black Knights and the Ace Pilot.

When I arrived, I wasn't surprised to be starred by a lot of students. By making such a dramatic entrance and doing the 'safe' pose that the referees in baseball do I quickly became the center of attention.

Japan was indeed falling into place. Though my school uniform was left unchanged it still reminded me of how I used to be. Just remembering myself in that ghetto in the Shinjuku district already made me want to cry. It was a simple struggling life but one that I remembered and cherished greatly. It was the first time we ever sought victory and the first time I heard his voice through my com.

"Excuse me" my attention was thrown into disarray when I noticed myself in the teacher's lounge. I was asked to report here when I got to school. Because of my military background I had to meet with them personally to ensure that I wouldn't use my enhanced strength to knock all the other students to the ground and put them in line. Heck… I could already imagine myself as a dictator walking up this hallway with people saluting at me.

The teacher who called out to me was sitting on a simple rectangle table. There were several books and papers neatly put together which made it look a lot like an office. In front of her was a students' browser which had all the faces and names of the students in her class. Her hand was sticking out so it meant that she wanted something from me.

"Y… yes?" I answered back.

"Your registration form, please"

"Oh… oh yeah. I have it here" I quickly shuffled through my bag and handed her the said documents. "Sorry it's a bit late. I wasn't able to hand it in because I was stuck at work"

But she just waved it off with a smile. "Oh please, don't worry about it. I wouldn't be surprised if it took you a month to find it. It's only been a year since the occupation and our curriculum is barely even stable. You might be shifted from class to class so don't get your head lost. Now… you're here because of your military status, correct?"

"Yes ma'am" I replied holding myself firm. After being with the Black Knights for so long I guess standing in attention was pretty much a common thing for me. "I may have military duties from time to time so I would like to have that excuse to leave class"

"Of course" she smiled. "You're not the only student-soldier we have here. We even have some teachers who are in the army too. Are you in the regular army?" she asked with a slight chuckle followed after. "My cousin is in the army too. He was part of the Blood of the Samurai and now he's part of the regular army ohohoho…"

"Really? That's great" I tried sounding casual trying to carry on with the conversation.

"Yes. So what division are you in?"

"Oh I'm with… the Black Knights" to put it bluntly, there were a few heads that turned to me upon mentioning the name of my company. The Black Knights were so famous and so respected by the people that even just mentioning it made heads twirl. It was kind of embarrassing to admit it but you could say that we were celebrities among the populace.

And indeed even my teacher's eyes were widened by this. "Oh I see. Well then you must be very proud of yourself"

"Yes ma'am"

"Now let's see. Your name is…" as she read through my record I had a brief moment of respite to think back of everything that has happened. After our victory over Britannia, everything seemed to be falling into place. A lot of the country has already been rebuilt but there were still plenty of areas that needed to be refurnished. It's strange. Once you actually get a look of this place, you would have a hard time believing that there was a battle here. The construction and rebuilding was so fast that it looked like the war we had was just a bad dream.

I let out a sigh and allowed myself to loosen up a bit. As I thought back about it, everyone was probably doing fine on their own. Tamaki was still a hot head as usual, doing nothing but gloat and howl at the new recruits that he was one of the original members. He wasn't the best of pilots but he was fun to be around with. Inoue still worked with the Black Knights but was also attending college. Yoshida and Sugiyama are full fledged members of the company and were now training other Knightmare pilots on basic guidelines. Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords… I mean… the Three Holy Swords now since Chiba joined as a permanent member of the Black Knights. They dropped by from time to time to see how we were doing. I could remember that Kyoshiro wanted to come back to us. Even though he was now a leader of an army he was a Black Knight at heart. But he had to follow Zero's orders. He had to build Japan's military strength and make it so without weakness. He and Ohgi often drank and ate together at the cafeteria.

As I looked back at it now… I feel kind of lonely without Zero.

THUMP!!!

My head was thrown back when I heard my teacher smash her coffee onto her table. From the looks of it she must've drank the whole content in a single gulp. When eyes forcefully came to my face, the look on it was like a zombie who just saw its meal on a silver platter.

"Kallen?" she muttered out my name. "Kallen… Kouzuki…"

"Y… yes?" I replied a little frightened by her stare.

"Kallen Kouzuki? As in THE Sergeant Major… KALLEN KOUZUKI!!!?"

Upon the mere mention of my name, the teachers in the lounge stood up with their eyes widened like saucer plates.

"No way!" I heard one say.

"Kallen Kouzuki!? The pilot of the Guren!?" another one said with a loud tone.

"That's impossible! Here!? Out of all the schools, here!?"

"But it has to be there's no other girl like her!"

"Yes it is her! I even got a photo of her! It has to be!" the man held up a copy of a newspaper bulletin showing my face back during the victory of the Black Rebellion. The squeals and squeaks went on for another ten minutes before the door opened revealing a man with a business suit. I recognized him as the school principal since I saw his face and name on the brochure a few weeks back.

"Attention everyone" he clapped his hands to get the teacher's attention. "I believe you all know Ms. Kouzuki. Now due to some circumstances she will be attending our school for the next two years. I would like you all to give her your best and make her feel welcomed. (Yes sir!) Now… before we do so… let us…"

I raised a brow for a moment but was then put into a state of shock when the teachers and the principal all lowered their heads to me. "Ms. Kallen Kouzuki" the principle began. "Please… accept our gratitude. For we… the Japanese are in your debt. If it were not for you or Zero none of this would've been achieved. Allow us the teachers of this school to solemnly honor your welcome"

"Uhh… thank you"

For the whole school day, I spent my entire time talking with the students and club members who wanted me to join their clubs. It was a free for all zone if you asked me. I felt like a meat hung in a cage full of lions.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After school, I returned to the government bureau to report for duty. The guards were easy to move away seeing that they knew my face well. And even if they didn't, my Black Knight badge was enough to allow me passage. Only the original and the high members are allowed these badges. They're enough to hold power over a small group of police or command over the fire station of any emergency services.

"Welcome back Sergeant Major Kouzuki"

"WHA!!!" I yelped to the top of my voice when a girl saluted back at me from the doorway to the hanger bay. Immediately I recognized her as Chiba, my second in command of the Zero Squad. I held my chest and panted. "Chiba… don't scare me like that!" I was actually more curious on how she was able to avoid my detection. Usually I can tell when a person is hiding somewhere quite easily, but Chiba was like a ghost to me in terms of presence. She would've been a better spy than a soldier.

"Sorry, it wasn't intentional" she apologized with a small smile. "You're here rather early, major"

"Huh? Oh yeah… class was canceled for half a day. The school was still collecting itself but the curriculum should be able to hold by next week. (I see…) So… anything happening?"

"Commander Ohgi called out a few minutes ago, sir"

"Another Britannian warship?"

"No. We're just going on a routine escort mission for the main army. They're making a firebase on an island on the eastern wave"

"I see. I guess we'll prep for launch"

"Yes, major. I'll see to it that the Zero Squad is ready" and without another word, the girl left. Even though she said the 'Zero Squad' we're actually just a squad of two. But even so, the two of us were indeed a great force to be reckoned with. Alone, we were able to fight any army and halt any unit from breaking through. I guess that must another reason why I'm such a celebrity. Even if we were a squad, there are times that I wish that Chiba would be a little more open with me. She's always so tight and stuck up like she was talking to her superior. Perhaps being with Tohdoh for so long made her like that.

**(Knightmare R&D lab) (Cecile's POV) (The Lonely Maiden and the Wise Fool)**

The coffee was warm.

I guess that's the only thing that was warm in the government bureau seeing that all the other rooms were air conditioned. I woke up that morning in my room just like any other day. In a comfy bed surrounded with notes and my stuffed toys and breakfast prepared by a chef in the building.

When Britannia lost control of Area 11… I mean Japan, things have been looking quite pleasing here. I thought that things would change over time because of the new government and all but after a few months later, I found out that nothing really has changed much for me. I still worked in late hours with Lloyd Asplund, my boss and sub-head director of the R&D program of the Black Knights. It was amazing really. I thought that with Zero gone, I would've been happy or at least Lloyd would take the chance to return to the homeland. But instead he chose to stay along side with Rakshata to finish with his research.

It's been a good year ever since Area 11 seceded to Japan. Ever since that day, I thought that I was really going to die. But we were spared thanks to Lloyd's quick thinking and Zero's generosity… if you would call it that. I later went to the hanger bay that afternoon and saw Ms. Kouzuki ride atop her Guren and her subordinate following not far behind. They must be going to another mission like they did almost every day. The Black Knights were indeed very popular among the people and Kallen was even more popular. I even saw a poster of her hanging somewhere in the city yesterday when I went shopping.

As I entered the research laboratory, I found Ms. Chawla and my boss, Lloyd duking it out in a rather friendly yet bitter argument. They never really got along even before they split up but they always managed to achieve better results when they work together. From the key words that I was able to hear they seemed to be arguing on the power core of the new Knightmare Frame that was designed by Zero before he was killed.

Oh… those words alone were able to bring back painful memories.

That day when Zero fought with Suzaku near the outskirts of the Tokyo Settlement, I felt my heart racing a hundred times faster than its usual self. It almost felt like it was going to burst. We saw the battle happened through the monitor so we weren't able to experience the fight first hand. Lloyd was devastated when he saw how wrecked the Lancelot was, but Rakshata was more horrified when she saw it destroy the Gawain. After that fateful battle between the two, the entire core of the Black Knights went into a state of a great depression. Just right after their celebration of victory, the whole country went into mourning for the man who they all called their hero.

Suzaku disappeared from the battle after, the Lancelot as well.

The high command of the Black Knights spent hours and days searching the wreck of the Gawain but there was no corpse. The only few objects that they were able to find was Zero's mask and his cape which seemed rather resistant to fire.

I let out a sigh as I returned to my desk and began working on the formulas and equations that they lined up waiting for me. But just right before I began I noticed another form of papers lined up neatly at the side of my desk. It was then I remembered that I was actually quite popular myself here in Tokyo. Even of my nationality I was almost recognized by every member of the Black Knights. There were some who even wanted to ask me out on a date. I felt kind of guilty turning them down but I guess that's just me, a woman who puts my career first.

"Well well, aren't you the popular one" I leaped on my feet when I felt Lloyd's voice tapping on my neck.

"Lloyd! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry sorry" he waved it off carelessly. "I was just wondering why you have so many pictures of men in your hands"

"Oh this? This is something that the Japanese call Omai. It's like an arranged meeting between parents before sending off their children to marriage"

"Well now, aren't you the lucky one having so many of those in your hands. Let me see those" he snatched them from my fingers and scrolled through the faces and BIOs in a record time.

"H… hey give that back!"

He flashed me a grin when he looked at a few interesting ones. "Well now. How delightful. These are all well educated and talented men you have here. Doctors, lawyers, bank managers and even sons of politicians"

"Lloyd!" I whacked him on the head and took my forms back with a grunt face.

"Now don't be mad" he said in usual singsong tone. "Besides, why are you even thinking of getting married? You're practically stuck here with me anyway"

"I'm just thinking of my future options! What about you Lloyd? Don't you have any plans for your future?"

He whipped his head back to me and smiled. "My dear Cecile. Science is the only spouse for me. Besides, you rejected most of those who even wanted to date you, remember?"

I flinched back slightly remembering all those proposals. "Ugh… well. They weren't the one for me"

"Don't be picky now" he cooed.

"I'm not being picky. I'm just planning out for future reference! I don't exactly have much time you know"

"Very well, I understand I understand. But in any case, if you do run out of time, why don't you and I get married instead?" I choked on my coffee and fell butt first, throwing all the forms around in the air. "Good one…"

"Lloyd!" I barked out blushing slightly. The man annoyed me; he always has ever since his research days back in the homeland. "Don't joke around like that!"

"Who said anything about joking?" he looked at me with his stupid expression as always. "Besides, don't we act like a married couple at all? We both work together, you stick with me like glue, you cook for me and buy me food from the outside, help out with the others at the kitchen and even lecture me on bad behavior. Even if we were married, nothing would change"

"Would you cut that out!?" I fumed at him and quickly returned to my desk and to my work. But as I began working on the formulas, I began to wonder. Why was Lloyd like that? Why was he such a sociopath and choose to sell his soul for science? For Rakshata, I understand but records of Lloyd were almost non-existent. Perhaps it had something to do with his childhood or maybe an external force? Who knows? Great, now I'm curious.

**(Ashford house, Hollington) (Milly's POV) (The Maiden who made a Deal with a Devil)**

I woke up that morning feeling rather ditzy for my taking. I guess I couldn't help it since I had a little bit of wine at last night's party. My father had an official ball to commemorate the celebration of the founding of the house of Ashford. Our noble titles were a bit obscure but it was nice to know that he had some friends in this world. I had a toast with some of the nobles as well and I had to admit that they could beat me in a drinking contest any day. I must've fell asleep on the couch because that was the last thing I remember before taking a sip from my wine glass. The good thing was I still had my clothes on from last night and I didn't tare it up because I tripped down or something.

After changing into my more appropriate clothing, I made my way down stairs for breakfast. As expected, my parents weren't around to join me. My mom was probably out working at the stock exchange rate at the nearest intel-bank and my dad is definitely upstairs signing up some papers to further our family's status.

The day went on without much care. I read the morning news paper, eat breakfast quietly and take a few practice rounds at the stables. School wasn't gonna start in a couple of months so I had all the time I needed to clean myself up afterwards.

That afternoon, I took my tea time at the living room while scrolling through the channels on the television. The news hasn't really changed much. Ever since the Black Rebellion that happened in Area 11, things had been hectic around Britannia. Stock Markets came crashing downwards, investors of other Areas deteriorated and military force have been increasing all over the world. It felt as if the world was going through an upheaval and it was all thanks to a single man named Zero.

Zero…

He was the leader of the Black Knights and the one who led to the liberation of Area 11. Now it's known as the United States of Japan. It was the first area in Britannia's history ever to secede from our rule.

I'll admit though… when I first saw Zero make his debut, there were a lot of people who thought of him as nothing more of a terrorist or a joker, myself included. When I went to the Broadway street on the Tokyo Settlement, I saw several Britannian clubs actually making fun of him, even putting up costumes to demote his character. But after he began retaliating against the Britannian army, his presence became more frightful. Those who even ushered his name or the company that he leads were thought to be collaborators. Costumes and replicas of the masked man were burned and destroyed as well for even a glimpse of the man seemed to have brought fear into the hearts of the people. I even remembered one student in Ashford Academy dressed up to make fun of Zero, got arrested just for portraying the man.

But… I had to admit at some point that I was also intrigued by the man. He didn't seem like any terrorist I've seen so far and he looked far too dangerous to be a common criminal. In fact… I met with the man personally. He even held my chin with his hands and I'll be blunt… they felt as cold as ice itself. It sent chills down my bones and even made my legs numb.

Right after his announcement of liberation came to light, all the other Areas began to instigate their own rebellion and fighting off the Britannian army with great light. It was as if the world followed Zero's role and made themselves known as rebels who fought for a good cause.

"Ms. Ashford?" I jerk my head upwards to the sound of my maid's voice. "Sorry to disturb you. But the master is calling for you"

"I'm on my way…" I replied with a sigh. My father was probably going to sign me up on another date with another man today. It must be a record. This was the fifth one this week.

The room where my father's office was located was on the third floor of the house. It was decorated with all of his medals and awards and even some hunting trophies he had since he was young. I guess all men were alike at some points. His table was made out of the finest oak wood in the country and forms of different values hidden neatly in the compartment. His butler was also situated on the side to get him his every need.

"Ah Milly" my father, Peter Ashford welcomed me. "I've been looking for you. Please come in and have a seat"

"Yes father" I nodded respectfully even knowing what was coming.

He placed his hands on his table and twiddled with his thumbs for awhile until I sat on a chair comfortably. When I put my arm on the armrest he let out a small sigh. That alone was the sign of what he wanted. "You probably know why I called you here, Milly"

"I have a hunch" I let out a small smile to ease the tension.

"I found another suitor for you" he began. "His name is Alfred G. Darlton, one of the adopted sons of Andreas Darlton. He's the second eldest of the family and he's just about your age as well. I also heard that he's a member of the Glaston Knights under the service of Princess Cornelia, 2nd princess of the Britannian Royal Court"

"But father, don't you think I'm a little too young to be getting married? I mean… I just turned seventeen and all"

"Milly… haven't we had this discussion already?" he placed his head on his hand and let out a silent groan just barely loud enough for me to hear it. "Now that Lloyd Asplund was captured by the Black Knights, your engagement with him was off. You two will simply be engaged at first with all the ceremony. You will still be able to attend your school until you graduate. Afterwards you two will be officially wed" I sighed at this. "Listen Milly… I know that I am asking a lot out of you but……… your mother and I won't be around forever. I…… I just want to know that you're being taken care of. I am only doing this for the safety of your future. Our family status is already down the mud and the properties of the House of Ashford are deteriorating faster than normal. And thanks to that idiotic Black Rebellion at Area 11, your uncle and I ran into some debts. If only my brother knew how to play politics and keep his head out of those games then he would've been in a better situation"

"I… see…" I really had no way to fight back or argue with my father. He really had his ways with words and I found nothing to backup my claims to even reject that offer. "I guess I'll try and…"

Ring ring! Ring rign!

Save by the phone…

"What is it?" my father answered the phone on his desk with a slightly annoyed tone. "I'm a little busy right now, can't you deal with it?"

"Sorry to disturb you sir" that was the voice of the gate guard. I recognized it because I usually talk to him a lot during my horse ride. "But there's a visitor who came to see you. He said he has an appointment with Ms. Ashford"

My father looked at me while putting the caller on hold. "Were you expecting someone?"

I shook my head in reply. "No, not at all"

He put the phone to his ears again. "Who is it?"

"I have here a…… Mr. Lelouch Lamperouge and his brother, Mr. Rolo Lamperouge. Sir…" Lelouch and Rolo? What were they doing here of all places? They couldn't have come here for a visit cause that wouldn't sound like Lelouch at all. He was my childhood friend so I knew a little bit about him.

Of course my father knew both of them as well. "The Lamperouge?" he let out a soft gesture of a sigh. "What do they want?"

"They say that they came here for business sir"

"Business?" my father quirked a brow before pressing the button again. "Alright… send them in"

I was surprised to actually see Lelouch here of all people. What could he have come here for? They said that it was business but I never thought that he would be dealing with my father of all people. We waited there for a few minutes and my father allowed his butler to fetch us some nice tea. Upon his return, he brought Lelouch and Rolo up as well. Lelouch was wearing a rather fashionable clothe for once. Usually he would wear some commoner's outfit that would make him blend into the furniture but now he was looking rather dashing. A white vest covering his denim T-shirt and long cotton pants which made him looked rather like a noble than an everyday boy.

His little brother Rolo stood at the back wearing his usual going out outfit carrying two large briefcases on both of his hands. He was a bit more fit that Lelouch which explained why he carried them.

"Mr. Ashford, how good it is to see you again" Lelouch greeted in a voice I haven't heard in awhile. My father returned the greeting and they both shook hands between me. "And it's good to see you too Milly"

"Hi there" Rolo said in a soft pitched voice. Unlike his brother, Rolo was more sensitive than Lelouch, which was partly the reason why he doesn't have many friends in school.

Before I could return the gesture, my father spoke out. "Lelouch, Rolo, welcome. It's been awhile, hasn't it? How is everything at school?"

"Very well Mr. Ashford" Lelouch smiled. "Though I have to admit, it isn't quite the same as it was in Area 11. But in any case, Ashford University feels like home"

"That's not surprising. Ever since the Black Rebellion, things have been going hectic. I even heard that you were kept there for almost a month before they released you. It must've been horrible"

"Oh I endured" Lelouch nodded politely before taking a seat beside me. Rolo took his seat on the nearby coffee table as he gladly placed those briefcases on the floor. "But it was fun while it lasted. Like they say 'Don't let time go to waste' I believe an author said that"

"Yes, from the Arthurian Legends" father smiled back before taking a sip from his teacup. "But off the record Mr. Lamperouge, I would like to…"

"Please, just call me Lelouch. It feels strange when someone calls me Mr. Lamperouge"

"Very well… Lelouch. I would like to thank you in my brother's stead. I had heard from his confession that he was part of a gambling circle in Area 11 and that he was clear of debts thanks to your intervention"

"It was no big matter" Lelouch waved it off. "I only did it because I owed the Ashford a lot of favors myself"

"Haha! Still the noble boy I see. But seriously… if my that impudent brother of mine focused on our situation now he would quickly stop on his gambling habits"

"Yes. Old habits are hard to die. Speaking of those gambling. That's the exact reason why I came here to you today. (Oh?) Yes. I had heard from a reliable source that you were offering Milly here to a nobleman of great status. Am I correct?" I shook for a moment before turning my eyes to him.

I could see my father's eyes visibly sharpen and was sure that he didn't like the topic very much as it is. He hates to discuss this particular topic with me or my mother and even worst with outsiders. "That subject is personally between this family alone Lelouch. I'm afraid I cannot answer more of your…"

"Well I find it completely despicable" Lelouch cut him off creating a surge of tension in the room. The butler noticed this as well and turned his eyes towards him.

"Excuse me?" my father spoke a bit taken back by that word.

"Selling your daughter's freedom for the sake of a family's pride. I find it absolutely despicable, disgusting above all reasons"

It wasn't long then till my father stomped his hands onto the table, tripping his teacup. "How dare you!? You're clearly out of your league young man!"

"F… forgive us sir!" Rolo pleaded as he rushed to his brother's side. "Big brother, please! You're going to get us in trouble"

"But you agree with me, don't you?" as my eyes glued itself to Lelouch, I found myself unable to let off my stare. What was he planning? Is he crazy? Getting my dad angered like this could even get him sentenced to a suitable punishment. "Admit it Mr. Ashford. You are disgusted by yourself by even considering this act. It was probably the last thing that you had in your mind but the situation and debt that you ran into had forced your hands into submission. You had no other choice but to sell out your only heir to your family to another to ensure the preservation of your family name. How stagnate" I could already hear my father gritting his teeth but my eyes remained steady on Lelouch. "But… you have prepared a backup plan, have you not? A plan in which you carefully calculated?" A plan? What plan?

"What are you talking about?" my father played the 'innocent' card but it didn't work on Lelouch. No one could lie to him and get away with it… at least most people.

"I have heard from a reliable source that you were planning on selling the Great Deed of Hollington" the deed of Hollington!? But that means…

I turned my eyes towards my father and noticed that his expression turned from angry to surprised and shock. "H… how did…"

"How did I find out about it?" Lelouch smirked. "You forget Mr. Ashford that your brother Mr. Bill Ashford, hasn't changed his gambling habits. I defeated a noble opponent one day and since he couldn't pay me in cash I asked for another form of currency. Information"

"So you know about it…"

"Yes… I do. By selling the Great Deed of Hollington, you would surrender your land, your title and all of its assets, style and properties to the buyer at a great price. You would be giving up everything. But… I believe that the title of Earl Ashford seemed to have withered away a long time ago since Lady Marianne's death… so there's no point in holding on to a title that has little value of the moment"

"That is only a precaution plan. When my daughter…"

"Do you still plan to sell her out to the son of Darlton?" Lelouch said boringly. "I'd say that's a good plan but still it won't guarantee the payment of your debts. Also… there has been a particular rumor going about Britannia as of late. There are some soldiers who are saying that the general himself, betrayed Princess Cornelia during the battle of Tokyo which resulted in their defeat"

"Absurd! That's preposterous! There's no such thing! You made that up entirely and…"

"Pardon me sire" the butler interrupted which quickly caught our attention. "But I believe there is some truth to that rumor"

"What!?" my father was now confused and infuriated at the same time. "You mean, you've heard of this rumor too!?"

"I only heard of it a few days myself, my lord. But I believe that it was true"

When Lelouch saw the light in my father's eyes waning, he silently lifted up a wide grin. "How ironic. If Milly gets to marry the son of a traitor, it would only bring more shame and suspicion to the family name"

"But then…… what do we do?" my father slumped back in his seat now completely devastated by a teenager. If this was a normal conversation, I would've slapped Lelouch a hundred times already but my hands remained steady… as if frozen by the tension of this conversation. "If we call off the engagement… it would create shame upon our family"

"Then why not sell the deed?" Lelouch recommended. "Your land and title is worth millions, is it not? Even if it is just a small land at the west coast, it still retains plenty of fertile lands"

"Yes… but even so" my father poured himself another cup of tea and drank it all in one go. "It would not be enough. I have a buyer from California and Pendragon who are willing to buy it all for twelve million credits but that would only get us so far"

"This is why I have come today to make you another offer Mr. Ashford. Sell your deed to me"

"To you!?" my father and I said together in unison.

"Yes. I am prepared to offer you…" he snapped his fingers to Rolo who handed him the briefcases. "… forty million credits, in cash, paid in full" my eyes widened so much that they were ready to fall off their sockets. When I saw the lines of green in those suitcases my knees felt chilly. There were indeed forty million credits in them perhaps more… and they all looked like they were neatly tucked and cleaned.

"Forty… million?" my father's jaws gawked. "But how… how can a commoner like you…?"

"You forget Mr. Ashford. I played with noblemen and I always win" Lelouch placed the two suitcases on the table and allowed his opponent to get a clear look of the cash. Rolo waved off and returned to his seat slightly embarrassed himself. He probably knew of Lulu's gambling habits but remained silent about it. "This is more than enough money to pay all of your debts and even if you spend half of it, you'll probably have more than enough for your family to live comfortably. I heard that you still own a private villa at the edge of the country. You have no need to worry. I had all this money checked out by the police. They're all clean. No strings attached"

"B… but…" my father was now in a tight rope. If he accepted this money… then Lelouch would become… Baron Lamperouge. That would mean selling everything we possess, even our servants and our maids. "I… I… can't. I don't know what to say. This is going to fast for me"

Lelouch's smile turned into a dark frown when he heard this. "I see. Then I guess the deal is off then" he slammed the briefcases closed and locked them together tightly in a complex combination. "It was my mistake to come here with such a generous offer. I'll take my leave to you now. Rolo, let's go. There's nothing more to do here. Mr. Ashford, Milly…" he bowed to both of us and took his leave.

"R… right big brother…" the boy nodded before turning his eyes to me. "Milly…" he bowed politely just before he left the room. As the two of them slowly walked towards the door, my father began to sweat like a hound dog. The golden opportunity was slipping through his fingers and it wasn't going to be long before it was too late.

As the butler showed them the way out, I finally snapped out of my hypnotized trance. "I agree!" I screamed out to the top of my lunges which literally halted every voice in this room. "Lelouch Lamperouge… I agree to your offer!"

"Milly?"

I didn't know why I was doing this or why I was even shouting. But when he was just walking out that door I felt like I needed to do something. To finally take actions for my own life and not let others run it for me. It was my dream I guess.

Lelouch slowly turned around with a small grin that would've made Satan himself, proud. "Hmm… as much as I like to agree with you Milly, only the head of the house can make a great deal such as this"

"But my signature alone should prove as a substantial proof"

"Oh?" it was for once that Lelouch raised his eyebrow in my stead. "Indeed… your signature alone will prove undoubted…"

I could sense my father standing up from his seat when he saw this. I don't know whether he was going to shout at me or yell, but I didn't care anymore. I just felt so sick of a world that I had no control over… a life that wasn't mine.

"Very well then…" our heads jerked back towards my father who now held a face of defeat. "I agree to your terms Lelouch Lamperouge"

"Your lordship!?" the butler stated a bit startled.

"It's my decision my friend. Though I have a good feeling that my wife will kill me… I will give in to this deal"

"Father…" I muttered out unconsciously.

"If it will get my daughter's freedom then so be it. Let us head on to the city hall where we can get a document to make the deal, official…"

"I already went there" Lelouch then suddenly pulled out a small document from his vest and unrolled it in front of us. Immediately I recognized it as a deal breaker from the city hall. I saw so many of them run by my father so it wasn't anything new to me. It had the seal of a court judge and the signatures of the city's representatives. How Lulu was able to pull this off, I'll probably never find out. "This agreement should provide us with legitimate trade"

"You really thought of everything… haven't you?" my father complimented sadly. "Very well then. George, get me a pen" the butler nodded and hastily took a fountain-pen from the cabinet. But before he handed it to my father, I snatched it away. "Milly?"

"Please… allow me to be the first to sign it" I begged. "Even though my name will not mean much, I would like to be at least partially responsible for this deal" Lelouch didn't seem to mind so allowed it. My father took a deep breath at this and nodded back. It was childish, I know… but it did felt like something I should do. With a quick motion of my hand my name was immortalized on that piece of paper. My father's name followed afterwards but it didn't seem as bad as mine. I felt as if… I just signed a deal with a devil. Lulu… just what are you planning?

"Thank you Mr. Ashford" Lelouch said happily before gesturing to his brother to hand over the briefcases. They seemed heavier for my father. I guess that's no surprise seeing that he just traded everything for them. "And the deed?" my father nodded depressingly before turning to the family portrait which he hung on the wall near the bookshelf. Behind it stood a hard iron safe which was protected by a password code and retinal scan. Once he had it opened, he produced the said document which held the Great Deed of Hollington. Lelouch gladly took it and read its contents carefully, not missing a single word. After he was certain of the info, he rolled up the paper and nodded. "With this… our deal is done. I'll have it submitted to court of justice by tomorrow"

"Yes…"

It wasn't long then till the butler bowed his head to Lelouch. "Then if the transaction is done. Then I am now under your service… Mr. Lamperouge. Is there anything you wish me to do?"

"Don't be rediculous" he replied coldly. "As in accordance to the deed transaction, the shift does not take affect until three days time has passed. I believe that will be sufficient time for you to announce to the other servants who their new employers are and for the Ashford to move to their new villa. I will return then"

"Very well sir" the butler nodded and slowly passed through me like I was but a stranger. As I looked back now… I just had a thought. Lelouch was now… Lord Lamperouge… the new Baron of Hollington. I wonder then deeply in my mind… if I had just made the biggest mistake in my entire life. That I just didn't sell everything just out of plain pride.

**(Japan Eastern Island off the coast of Iwate) (Chiba's POV) (The Wayward Soldier)**

Guard duty…

They're one of the worst jobs, professional soldiers like us could get. They're dull and extremely boring especially at this time of peace. It's almost like walking from one point to another and then back again. I didn't like it one bit and my captain agrees with me too. She doesn't say it openly but I could tell from her yawning that she hates it. Our duty right now was to escort two large tankers that were on route to an island base off the coast of Iwate. The Zero Squad came alone but… that was probably more than enough.

I was surprised to see that the military didn't have the manpower to provide their own supply ships with escorts but I guess it shouldn't be a surprised since Lt. Colonel Tohdoh was running it. There weren't many people who enlisted from day to day and ever since the incident of Zero's death, I guess everyone lost their will to fight.

"We're here!" shouted the helmsman which awoke me from my thoughts. As I looked around, I noticed that the ship had already made port at the shift-made dock of the military base island. How shameful of me. If enemies had indeed attack I would've been the first to fall. But knowing Kallen, she probably fell asleep in her Guren.

When both of our units got out to the loading bay, the flatbed-Glasgows began hauling the supplies from the tankers in and out. Burais were no longer a commissioned force as they were pretty much only useful on the ground. They were also too light for combat as just a few shots from a machinegun could already disable them. The military force were now using the Jimmu, a bigger version of the Burais copying the frame that Zero piloted during the battle for Japan.

It was a perfect name for it since Zero was the legendary founder of the United States of Japan itself.

"Chiba" I heard my captain's voice on the radio. "How long until the cargo finish unloading?"

"About three hours at best, sir" I replied professionally as ever. Kallen had a problem with me about that. I was always stuck up since I was a soldier for the past eight years of my life. She thought that I should be more casual or open but I guess that's not going to happen any time soon.

"Three hours?" I heard her whine. "Aww man. I guess there's nothing better to do around here. We'll get our energy fillers recharged and wait out at the barracks"

"Yes sir" but just as Kallen's Knightmare heads off towards the hanger bay, I noticed a com signal coming through my channel. "Huh?"

"Chiba? Is that you?" I immediately recognize the voice.

"Asahina?" I turned my frame around and noticed a similar frame of my own waving at me from the cannon tower. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm in charge of this sector" he chuckled at me. "Don't tell me that you're the escort for the supplies"

"Afraid so…" I laughed back. "So… you're in charge of this area huh? Then that means that you're a captain now?"

"Just in rank" he returned the gesture. "But my loyalty remains the same. Commander Tohdoh is still reforming the army. Things were difficult for the first few months but after that hard wall we got through. How about you? How's it going?"

"So far so good" was my reply. But to be honest, things were not going so well within the ranks of the Black Knights. Ever since Zero death, the organization nearly dissolved because of the lack of their great leader and many of its members resigned upon the first months. A time of great mourning happened and civilians and soldiers alike cried for their beloved Zero. But even if all of Japan were drowned in the sorrow of their lost, none of them was more devastated that Kallen. When Suzaku delivered the final blow to the Gawain's cockpit that day the captain just…… broke down in silence. She stayed in her room for a whole week after they announced his death and never have I seen her at such a state.

After a few weeks or so she was able to recover from the shock.

There was a definite good reason why Zero chose Kallen to be his ace. Not only was she skilled in hand to hand combat, she was definitely an excellent Knightmare pilot. Though few of us only had years of experience, Kallen looked like she was born with the natural talents of piloting these machines of death. Her Guren alone was an army on the field and even without support, she could probably take out two dozen Sutherlands on her own.

Even Tohdoh complimented her on her skills.

"Hey Chiba" my attention was caught by my former comrade. "Why don't you come back to us? Back to the main army?"

I sighed at this. This wasn't the first time that Asahina tried to convince me to return to the army. "Not this again. You know why I can't, Asahina. Not until I understand why the people are loyal to Zero"

"Zero is dead" it was a good thing we were on a private com. If Kallen or any member of the Black Knights heard him, they would give him the strange eye for sure. "There's no point in serving anymore. Come back to us. I'm sure that even the Colonel would welcome you back without a thought"

"Sorry. But I've made my decision"

"Heh… since when did you become a hard head?"

I was urging myself to join up with Kallen quickly but my curiosity got the best of me. "Say Asahina (Hmm?) Tell me. What are the supplies we brought for?"

"Oh that? We're building an outpost here as a lookout post. There's been sighting of Britannian patrol ships off the coast of Iwate by several fishing boats. The Colonel thought that it would be better if we had troops stationed here just in case"

"But aren't you guys relying a little too much on Jimmus? Those Knightmares look tough but they're not as agile as those simple Glasgows"

"They're meant for defensive situations only" Asahina clarified. "Think of them like giant stone walls. But they're more durable than simple frames. Anyway, I should probably get back to work. See ya later Chiba… and think about my offer. It's never too late to come back"

And with that… the man walked off, leaving me behind to think about his words.

But I didn't want to groan all day reflecting on my decision. After awhile I joined up with Kallen at the hanger lounge for some rest and recuperation. There were some tea given to us and for about ten minutes we rested there, doing nothing better but looking at the weekly papers and the news on TV. We still had some Britannian channels coming by from time to time but no one minded it. With most of our reporters coming from radio stations we had to settle with foreign media forces.

"… and the price stock exchange from E.U. is dropping steadily this year" I heard the reporter said clearly while sipping on my tea. "However with the discovery of new Sakuradite source near the borders between Iceland and Germany, those numbers could rise back up to new heights. (Pause) In breaking news today: The man proclaiming himself to be Zero in Area 19 has been arrested by the Britannian military force yesterday" both our eyes immediately turned to the screen as the sentence was spoken. "When making a last stand at Athens four days ago, the instigator of the rebellion was identified as Aetos Maro, an ex-military chief of the former country known as Greece"

'_Another Zero?'_ Was my only thought. This wasn't the first time another Zero was unmasked along the world. If I counted correctly from the following days after the death of the original Zero, there had been about 30 attempts of his so called 'reappearance'. Many of those are simply wannabes who thought they were smart enough to take his place. But none of them were able to last more than a week or two after their announcement.

They thought that if they appeared, the Black Knights would come again and aid them in their struggle. But that wasn't the case. Just by pretending to be Zero and wearing an imitation copy of his mask was an insult to his name and by being defeated so easily, smudge the name of Zero to the dirt and drag it through the muck and the mud.

As the new Zero was slowly escorted away to the execution ground the news anchors continued. "That would make the 3rd Zero this month"

"Indeed. It's hard to say but all we know is that they're copies of the original one"

"Heh, if the first Zero was anything like this, his name wouldn't be on the post at all"

Kallen immediately switched off the TV without a moment's notice and returned to her tea and her newspaper. I guess I could understand her a little bit. Unlike many of the Black Knights… she was probably one of the closest members ever to interact with Zero openly.

I guess… the only thing we can do right now is…… cut our loses.


	9. The Day the Demon Awakens

**Chapter 9: The Day the Demon Awakens**

**(Britannia) (The skies above Pendragon Red Light district)**

An orange zeppelin flew across the skies of the Pendragon that morning. It was nothing special. It simply stayed there like an inanimate object showing off its Cheesy Pizza like all advertisements do. Some wouldn't even take notices such objects much less fear it. But the people of Britannia should fear it. No, they should tremble upon the very sight of it. If they had known who resided within its vessel and what their purpose was, they would cower, hide or even scream in panic. For two knights and a witch were now attempting to do the impossible task of resurrecting a dark lord which the world seemed to have taken in as a comedian.

"This is vessel 2-D-4 calling Pendragon control tower, requesting clearance for entering Pendragon air space" said Elie as he drove the blimp across towards the defenses of the city. He was on the zeppelin with Jeremiah and behind them stood about thirty soldiers armed with what looked to be militia gears. They weren't the best armed group in the world but they pass as regular terrorists.

A few minutes later, a reply was given from the other line. "This is control tower, we copy. Your flight objective is commercial advertising, correct?"

"Confirm. No change in that. As planned, our flight duration will be 42 hours. Crossing from the residential block A-D to the Red Light district and upper town"

"That is… correct. You have clearance. This is your first time flying, am I right? It's going to be a long flight so you may as well stop by the down town area to buy a pizza or two for the trip"

"Understood. We will. Over and out" when he clicked off the radio, he let out a small smirk come across his lips. The two knights then let out a sigh of their own and returned to the hanger where a dozen Knightmare frames were sitting idly by. One of them was colored in the partial blue while another different one was colored in the woodland green.

Elie observed his frame with a close look to see if there was anything that was out of hand. "This is really it…" he said to no one in particular. "The time for our awakening"

"Nervous?" Jeremiah questioned which the boy shook his head in reply. "Don't be. It took you three months to form this plan and another two months organizing it. His majesty would've been proud"

"His Geass would've made this a lot easier"

"Don't sell yourself short" he told him. "You planned all of this, every step of the way. Even master Zero himself couldn't have done it any better"

"That's kind of you to say. But none the less, the real battle only begins when his majesty enters the field. C2 should also be making her move at the Red Light district. Hopefully she won't attract too much attention to herself"

"And after that… is all up to his majesty"

But just when they were getting on topic, their conversation was suddenly and rudely interrupted by a Scottish wanabe with an eye patch on his left eye. "Aye! What the hell ye be standing around for!? You still squabbling 'bout the whole Zero and all!? Hahahahaha!! You'd have a better chance finding a lottery ticket in the junkyard and winning the million dollar prize! Hahahaha!"

"Would you be quiet?" Jeremiah threatened. "We are currently discussing our strategy on the Matoir Mall"

But the mercenary simply waved it off. "Ay I don't really give a damn. As long as I get paid for my work and put the food on my table, I'm as satisfied as a pup as I can be. You all can suck on the livers of a sheep when this is all done! Ahahahahaha!" the other mercs followed in his laugh and gloated in their near victory.

Elie noticed that Jeremiah was on the verge of slamming his fist on that man for showing such rudeness. "Don't, Jeremiah. We still need them… for now…"

"Are you sure it was a good idea to hire them? Mercenaries, can't be trusted"

"I know. But we still need their help if we want this operation to succeed. Hold your pride together and when the time is right, you can have your way with them"

"Now that… is something I look forward to" Jeremiah grinned mischievously. "How much longer until the operation begins? I don't think I can stand the stench of these vermin for much longer"

"Give it time. Here" he opened up a secret compartment from his Sutherland's cockpit, showing out a vintage bottle wine. "I was saving this until his lordship returned, but I guess now's a good occasion than any. Besides… we might not make it through tonight"

"Heh…… well I'm always up for a good drink" Elie nodded and poured themselves two glasses of the said wine. With a simply taste they looked to each other, smiled and clash their glasses together for one last remark before battle. "All hail Lelouch…"

"Indeed… all hail Lelouch…"

**(Ashford University)**

The hallway of Ashford University was rather empty that time of day, saving except a few students who parted time from their recess just to talk with their classmates. But along that hall, one boy stood out among the rest. Though self absorb at most of the time, he was indeed the most popular person in the entire school.

Lelouch Lamperouge was his name, he new Baron of Hollington and a noble by the state of law. In truth, a boy of his noble status wasn't supposed to be attending a commoner school like this but he chose too, seeing that his old school in Japan was similar to this place. The boy was out early so it was clear to those around him that he was skipping class again. He tried to act as normal as possible, not attracting the attention of the school's faculty. If any of them spotted him he would immediately be alerted by the other teachers.

As he slowly made his way to the staircase, his senses were alerted by the voice of a familiar teacher in which taught a class which he hated the most. "Lelouch…"

The boy in question flinched a bit before turning around to face the teacher. "Oh… not again. You really are persistent, coach Villetta"

"You're not going to get away from me this ti… uh?!" before she had a chance to finish, the boy began running as fast as his legs can take him. "Uh! Wait! Come back here!?"

"Sorry, catch ya later!" knowing well that his opponent was the fastest person on campus, Lelouch decided to take the more populated route thinking that the passing students would be able to block her while he makes his escape.

Along the hall way, his friends and classmates noticed his pace and already knew that he was ditching P.E. again. "Hey! Vice prez, hope you get lucky!"

"Hey your lordship. Don't give up!"

"Yeah yeah, whatever" Lelouch laughed. But then suddenly he noticed several teachers were standing in the way of his escape route. They didn't seem to notice him yet so he decided to go around them by crossing the science room on the floor. "Huff… huff… I should be safe here" but his words were proven wrong when coach Villetta appeared once again behind him. "Oh great…"

"Give it up Lelouch" she smirked. "You lost the moment you turned this into a contest of strength and speed"

"Aren't you overreacting a little bit? I mean this is just about making up for P.E class"

"No!" she warned him. "Quit cutting classes Lelouch. You may be the baron of Hollington but that doesn't change the fact that I'm your teacher"

The boy then tactically positioned himself next to a boiling beaker which seemed to have been left on by a student just a few minutes ago. "I do have more than enough school credits to pass, don't I?" and with a simple motion of the hand he tipped the beaker, allowing its contents to spill on a glass of water creating a chain reaction of chemicals. Before Villetta knew it, the room was full of pink smoke which gave Lelouch the chance to slip away. "Don't worry about it! It's only colored smoke!" when he finally made it to the staircase, he caught a glimpse of Milly standing on the railing above him.

"Wait!!"

"Hey Lelouch, hang in there" she said pleasingly while tossing him a meat bread from the school cafeteria. "Don't lose your appetite, ya hear?"

"Thanks a lot Milly!" and without another word, he rushed off.

Villetta saw their action and was immediately furious. "What kind of a school student president are you!?" she yelled at Milly which she simply replied by bonking her own head.

"Oh I'm sorry. Lost my head there ahehehe" she replied innocently.

Villetta would've yelled at her or give her a long lecture about being the school president, but she saved it for later because she still had to catch Lelouch. So in taking a shortcut through the window she spotted her target right below her. "Lelouch!!" she yelled again before trampling over him. "Gotcha! You can't run from me now!"

"Oww…" but strangely enough, the boy's voice seemed rather off. "Are you trying to kill me coach?" however, the coach was surprised when the boy pulled out a wig from his head revealing his identity.

"Rivalz!?" she recognize him instantly. "But how did you…?" but the sound of a speeding bike caught her ears. As she looked to her side, she saw Lelouch and another one of his accomplices riding on it and racing through the school field with almost criminal speed.

"I need to borrow your bike, Rivalz! See ya!" was the last thing Lelouch shouted out to them before vanishing in the distance. Along the way, many of the students remained calm as they saw this as a usual activity for Lelouch and the teachers. His cleverly made plan to escape from school was a common thing here and it never fails to entertain the students on betting on his escape. Some of them even had a pool going on seeing if Lelouch would one day get caught by a teacher by the end of this semester. If one of them did, then it would probably be a record.

However… from one of the class, a single girl was simply sighing to see her friend drive off into the distance like that. "Oh… what are you up to this time, Lulu?" Shirley grumbled as she sat on the window with a few of her friends. "Don't you ever give up on those bad habits of yours?"

**(Road to the downtown district)**

As Lelouch rode the bike through the highway area of Pendragon, he let out a soft sigh seeing that another one of his plans came to fruition. The teachers were becoming more difficult to evade and coach Villetta was probably the one who hunts him down the most. Even his most brilliant plans are ruined thanks to her but no matter how many times she tried, she could never catch Lelouch.

"For crying out loud. Can't they give me a break and leave me alone after school?" the boy whined as he sat on the extra seat next to the motorcycle. His brother Rolo was driving and it wasn't a surprise to see the road empty this time of the day. With everyone at work, only the worker trucks comes passing through the road.

"But… they only do that because you're always skipping class big brother" Rolo stated as he was now one of his brother's usual accomplices.

"Because I find them insufferably boring" he took out the meat bread from its plastic wrapper and tore a piece off of it. After a bite of his own, he fed one to Rolo. "Here, have some. It's from Milly…"

Rolo looked at the bread for a moment taking his eyes off the road. He felt the action of feeding by his brother a little embarrassing and if he did it while they were in school, he'd be too ashamed. It's not like he didn't like. He actually loved being fed by Lelouch but only when they were in private. After a while he opened his mouth and took a bite, but his conscious was taken back when a horn honked behind them. "Wah Whoa!! I can't eat and steer!"

By the time Rolo was able to get the bike back on the right lane, he slowed down a bit and allowed the truck behind them to pass. Lelouch took a bite off and chuckled slightly at his mistake. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry" as they continued eating on the road, the giant monitor hanging above the mall suddenly cut in on an emergency broadcast of the new Viceroy of Area 1 or Holland as it was used to be called. "Hmm…? Another Zero? Tch. What a waste of time and resources"

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Rolo questioned as he heard his brother talk to himself.

"It's been exactly one and a half year since Zero was killed in Area 11 and yet people continue to hold on to the past and his righteous ideals. When he made his broadcast around the world, he spurred up rebellion everywhere, creating chaos in each Area like clockwork. But after his death, they continued to go on even without the man himself. The people of those Areas didn't have the spirit or the power to fight back. That's an idiot for you. If they had only kept quiet, then Area 18 and Area 15 wouldn't have been turned to a Reeducation Zone"

As the two of them turned to the giant TV screen, they saw the firing squad take aim at the new 'Zero' and shot him until their clips were emptied. The barrage was so violent and so horrifying that the man's face was blown apart to such an extent that he could no longer be recognize by anyone. His death marked the slain of the 30th Zero.

"But… Zero was the one who first defeated the Britannian military"

"And in the end he was killed by the very people he had hoped to protect. Zero… he was a fool. No matter what you try… the world is just too big for you. You can't do it… you can't change the world simply by force"

"I see…"

Lelouch then noticed the odd look on his little brother's face and quickly waved it off. "Oh… sorry. I didn't mean to bring you down like that"

"N… no it's ok" the boy responded smilingly. "Anyway, where are we headed this time? (Huh?) Well it's obvious that you're going out to gamble again so where should we go? The New Babel Tower in the residential district? The illegal gambling den on Wall St.?"

"You've been reading my files, haven't you?"

Rolo blushed a bit. "Umm… it was coincidental. I was just scrolling through your computer to find some files on my homework and ugh… it just kinda popped up"

"Heh… don't worry. It just proves that even my files are not full proof yet. I'll have to readjust that"

"Did you know that the nobles that you play with have given you a nickname? (Hmm?) They're all calling you the Black Prince"

"The Black Prince?" Lelouch questioned. "Like the one prince in England who pillaged France of all of its churches and holy sites just to fund his war campaign? Heh… I like the sound of that. Ever since I beat that Black King in the gambling den, I guess I should be making a name for myself"

"But that last opponent of yours was a complete liar!" Rolo beckoned to the old memories. "He even called you a cheater and had his guards tackle you"

"A wordplay for him. He calls me cheater yet he cheats himself. Thanks to the manager of the gambling den, the nobleman and his goons were kicked out in disgrace and asked never to come back"

"Call it lucky"

Lelouch laughed. "Yeah… perhaps" he then noticed an intersection coming up and said to his little brother. "Take a left here. (Huh?) We'll be going to the Red Light district"

"WHAT!?" Rolo nearly crashed onto a stop sign when he made that turn to the Red Light district. "Big brother, are you insane? That's where…"

"All the big players are" he answered before signaling another turn. "After claiming all the illegal areas around the south of Pendragon, the only place where I haven't gone to is the Matoir Mall at the Red Light district. I heard that a particular player there has a keen interest in challenging professionals like myself"

"But… will we be allowed into that area? I mean you and I are just students and they have a checkpoint there"

"Don't worry" Lelouch then took out a noble ID card which are a rare find even in these parts of the world. "Did you forget? You and I are nobles for the past six months now. They'll let us pass easily and even if they don't… I have a backup plan" he pulled out a thin roll of cash tied together by a knot. "Corruption is the first thing of all noblemen in Britannia. Even myself is of no exception"

Rolo was unsure at first but decided to go along anyway. His brother has never gotten into trouble before so there was no point in him getting in trouble now.

"Don't worry" Lelouch continued. "All you need to do is drive me to the parking lot then you can leave. I'll take the train going back to school. I wouldn't do anything to get you in trouble"

"N… no, I'm fine" and with that they continued driving through the streets.

And upon reaching the Red Light district, they began to see the darker side of the city. The lighting in the area began to go blank and worker and prostitutes suddenly became abundant on the sidewalk. Just as they arrived at the checkpoint, Lelouch's words proved true when he showed him his ID card. Upon recognizing a nobleman of his status, the barricade was lifted and the guards allowed them to past without question. Lelouch smirked at his own success. He loved it when he was right and it proved rewarding at most times.

He knew how many guards were stationed at each checkpoints, he knew the time and day they worked and the time they're off and he even knows their relationships with some of the brothel employers.

**(OSI outpost)**

But what Lelouch did not know is that he was being watched by a force that few know about. A force that serves the emperor of Britannia directly and receives orders from him and him alone and no one else.

The OSI or the Office of Secret Intelligence was the name of that force.

They were carefully watching the boy and his little brother as he entered the district on his friend's motorcycle. They carefully switched from one camera to another and recorded every word that he said in every conversation like those who recorded his entire life.

"Target is arriving as expected"

"Ground foot patrol, all clear. Sending vehicle's ID number and registration"

"Is everything in position?" said the one who looked like the officer in charge.

The com officer nodded back. "Yes sir. All ground troops have been stationed in. No complications expected. We should have the whole district surrounded in about five minutes. Knightmare unit 1 and 4 are also in position"

"Good… let's just hope that girl shows up this time"

"But do you think she'll show up sir? This has been our 9th attempt this month and we haven't seen anyone like her"

"I just know that we can't afford to fail" he replied while folding his arms together. "We're taking a huge risk by letting Lelouch go into that district. Hmm? Why did the guard allow him to pass? Did he use his ID card?"

"No sir" the officer responded while zooming in on the said guard. "The target seemed to have bribed him with a large sum of money, sir. Target is now entering Matoir mall"

"Feh… corrupt soldiers. Even the best of us are tricked into green. Have our forces surround the mall and have everyone on standby just in case."

"Yes… my lord"

**(Matoir mall) (Red Light district)**

"What? You want to come with me?" Lelouch looked to his little brother with a surprised face. "Don't joke around. This isn't like the places we've visited so far. It's dangerous. You should go back and finish your homework. I've already done mine so you can copy it"

"N… no" Rolo argued. "I'd rather stay with you. I'll be good. I promise"

Lelouch sighed at this. Rolo was never one to be so stubborn about stuff but whenever it came to him, he always gets in these little fights. "Oh alright then" he surrendered. "You can come with me but you have to stick close. I don't want you wandering off into some stranger's brothel or any woman in these parts. I warn you, this place can be very dangerous especially if you cause trouble. We're already breaking the law just by coming here"

The little brother nodded back and returned a small smile. "Don't get caught now"

"Heh… the cops don't scare me"

"But why do this?" Rolo questioned out of curiosity's sake. "I mean you're already rich by holding onto the small patch of land of Hollington. Because I mean you're not even doing this for the money so there's no point"

"Need you ask? It's because I want to battle more challenging opponents" they both made their way into the mall interior and when they entered they were immediately greeted by four girls who seemed to be in the age of 15-18 at least. They were probably slave girls brought in from the various Areas that were conquered by Britannia. They looked charming and their figures alone were enough to make a man aroused.

"Welcome to Matoir mall, may we… oh?" the girl in the yellow bunny suit stopped mid-sentence as she saw the two boys enter through the door. "Students?" she muttered out before suddenly being grappled by the mall manager. "Ahhh!"

"You insolent whelp!" the man was probably around his mid thirties holding on his own with his illegal mall which sold slaves from various conquered nations around the world. He was tall and slightly built. He looked more like a bouncer than a manager. "You stopped on your greetings! No stuttering allowed! Act seductive next time or I'm sending you back to the pound!"

The girl quivered and bowed apologetically. "Y… yes! Forgive me my lord"

The man then dismissed the girl allowing her to join with the other bunny girls at the side next to the door. But when he turned his eyes to Lelouch, he raised a brow in question. "You there, boy. Aren't you two a little young to be in these parts of town?"

"Yes, indeed we are" Lelouch replied casually like it meant nothing to him. Seeing that the man was suspicious, he decided to pull out his noble ID card to take the heat off him. "I am Baron Lelouch Lamperouge of Hollington, head of the house of Lamperouge and this here is my brother Rolo, my next heir if you will" Rolo blushed and quietly behind his brother.

Upon scanning the ID card, the manager bowed his head deeply in respect. "Ah yes. I seem to remember you Mr. Lamperouge. You have quite a name for yourself as the Black Prince in chess. I watched one of your games a few days ago myself. Very impressive"

"I thank you"

"I believe you are here to challenge Duke Stoneheart? He's actually been waiting for you to appear for quite sometime now. However I regret to inform you that he's currently playing with another gentleman. It will be some time before he finishes"

"I'm fine with that" Lelouch grinned. "Actually, these girl…" he gestured an evil smirk to the bunny dressed girls by the doorway. "… they're quite lovely"

Immediately the manager grinned mischievously at them as he knew that what Lelouch was referring to. "Why yes… they are. In fact, if you're interested, I am willing to offer you a sale if you would. But I warn you… they don't come cheap ahehehe" when the girls saw this they immediately began to cower at the thought of what the boy would do to them. "Please go ahead and observe any of which satisfies you. They're all freshly picked from the conquered Areas. Daughters of families who can't pay their taxes or those who fought against the armies are sent here. Don't worry. These worms have all went through the legal channels of the B.W.R. (Body Workers Rights) They have deeds and everything"

"Most excellent. Then I'll take them all"

"All?" Rolo nearly yelped. "But… big brother"

But the offer just seemed to make the manager even happier. "Most splendid my lord! But you must understand that I am a man who runs a business policy of cash in first"

"Of course" and with a swift motion, Lelouch pulled out from his pocket what seemed to be another roll of cash. "I believe this alone should cover the cost of transportation and their deeds. Have them transported today. My home address is also on the tape so there should be no problem"

The man counted again and again and when he was sure that they weren't counterfeit money, he showed a rather wide smile to his new best customer of the day revealing the gold tooth he had on his mouth. "Yes. This will most certainly do your lordship. (to the slaves) Well!? What are you waiting for!? Go back to your quarters and pack your things! You leave in an hour!"

"Y… yes my lord!" immediately the girls ran off towards the elevator to head off to their rooms at the basement of the mall.

"Now then lord Lamperouge, I have a fine more specimens being offered if you're interested and if…" the manager stopped when he noticed one of his bouncers approached him. "Hmm? What is it? Can't you see that I'm in a very important meeting at the moment?"

"Sorry sir" the man apologized. "But Duke Stoneheart has just finished with his opponent"

"Already? It's only been ten minutes since I left the room"

"How excellent" Lelouch commented. "I guess it's my turn then. Come Rolo, I have a match to play"

"Y… yes of course big brother" as they walked through the halls of that mall, Rolo stuck close to his brother like glue. With each turn they make there would be a woman who would seem to want a taste of their flesh. Lelouch however, politely declined them saying that they were here on official business and had no time for such luxuries. Rolo however could only stay silent and follow, but that didn't stop some of the girls there from giving him the dirty lick or look which made him blush with great embarrassment. After the next turn, Lelouch noticed that his little brother was beginning to tremble.

He let out a sigh and quickly shifted his suitcase to his other hand before wrapping his arm around Rolo's. "Hold my arm" he said. "If any of them tries to pull you just tug my arm and I'll pull you right off. Ok?"

Again the little boy blushed. "Y… yes… thanks"

"Don't worry. If it gets too hairy out here we'll head home right away"

"No… no need. I can handle myself"

"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you. This place is covered by the filth of all nobles alike. The slaves are simply people who came from the foreign conquered nations. Ever since Area 11 fell to the hands of the Black Knights, slavery has been procured here instead"

"That's all in history now"

"Be that as it may… they're just some things that can't be done. Now move faster. Some of these cougars seemed to be drooling just because of our school uniforms"

**(Ashford University)**

"Haaa……" that was the sound of Shirley groaning deeply at herself as she tended the garden atop the student council building that morning. She was with Milly and Rivalz that day and it was lunch break. As she was cutting the excess leafs from the small bushes she sighed again and again like something was clinging onto the back of her head. "Haaa…"

Milly noted this and could tell even from a distance that something was bothering her. "Ok, what is it this time? You've been sighing there for the past five minutes now and it's hampering your work" the girl in question groaned. "Is it about Lelouch again? Do you miss him already?"

"W… wha!? Of course not! I was merely thinking on what he's doing!" she yelled out embarrassingly. "That Lulu is such an evil guy. He's smart but he wastes his talents on useless things like gambling and such! He always goes off at lunch and after school, he skips his P.E. class and he keeps avoiding all the teachers! He may be a baron but that doesn't make him any different from us"

"But you got to admit that the guy's good" Rivalz added after he finished assembling the parts of a small statue. "Yesterday, he and I went to the horse race competition at the countryside and he bet all his money on one of them and won! That's a 1:15 ratio of winning"

"And not to mention the pot bet that's been going on" Milly reminded them.

"Oh yeah, that too. I actually got two thousand credits betting on it"

"Oh really? Are you betting on the first or second?"

"Pot bet?" Shirley questioned as she could not tell what the two of her friends were talking about. "What pot bet?"

Rivalz laughed. "Oh there's been a bet going on around school lately. They've been betting if the teachers could actually catch Lelouch before the end of the term"

"You're betting on Lulu!? How cruel can you be?"

"Oh come on, relax. If it makes you feel any better, I bet against him"

"Really?" Milly looked back at him with a quirky eye. "I bet on his side. I wagered my entire life savings on it"

"Are you sure prez? I mean, the teachers are getting close to catching him. Today was also no exception. Coach Villetta is actually forming a group of teachers to stop him from skipping classes"

"Yeah, but he's the kind of guy that always plan on ahead. Out of all the close calls, he was never caught once… not even in Area 11"

"Well I'll give ya that"

"Come on guys!" Shirley pouted, her eyebrow ferried on her nose. "Let's all be serious here! Lulu has been gambling and risking his status ever since he got his status as a noble. He should be reminded that he's in the student council. If he doesn't pull up his act they're going to expel him! Even now he's passing all of his bad habits to little brother!"

"Oh how I wish my darling Lulu was a more serious man" Milly translated her words in Shirley's language. "Hahaha How cute!"

Shirley immediately blushed upon hearing that. "P… please madam president!"

"Oh come on, just tell him already" Rivalz added again. "You've been holding a torch for him ever since we escaped from Area 11"

"Geh…… whatever…"

**(Matoir mall)**

"… and that's… checkmate" Lelouch's statement caught Duke Stoneheart off guard and he looked down the chessboard with eyes widened with questions of impossibility. With a simple move of the Black King, Lelouch cornered the opponent's White King. As the eyes of the nobleman scanned the checkered field, he couldn't have lost… especially to a boy of his age.

"H… how… how is that possible?"

"That was a fun game" Lelouch stated out happily. "You lasted longer than most opponents that I've faced in the upper town. They barely last longer than a few minutes at best" Rolo seemed happy to see his brother victorious but he was getting a little uncomfortable when the girls began to hover around him. Each moment he began to feel like a slice of red meat being dangled in a cage of starving wolves. When the game was set and match he could hear some of the audience whisper in praise of Lelouch's triumph.

"In twenty moves he finished off the Duke"

"Quite talented for such a young boy. A head of a noble family if I presume"

"Yes. I hear he's quite the brainer"

"Double or nothing!" the duke declared out suddenly as he pulled a stack of money from his wallet. "One last game to end it all!" there were a series of gasps coming from the crowd. Some of them whispered 'poor sport' while another half stated that this was the only way to regain some honor. "What about it son? Willing to go another round or will you run away a gutless coward?" it was an obvious taunt for the boy to bite and he knew that withdrawing now would only ruin his image. Besides… he doesn't have anything better to do at home either.

Lelouch only replied with a smile that made demons grin. "Very well… I'm game. But I'd like to add something more to the bet. (Hmm?) Something to make the game more interesting if you would"

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"The loser of this next match… will go on his knees… and bark five times, like a dog" another series of gasps and whispers of an interesting deal was like a hornet of gossips. It attracted more viewers and even more side-bets from the audience.

"Big brother…" Rolo whispered to himself worryingly.

"Well? Do we have a deal Sir Stoneheart… or are you… a gutless coward?" firing the arrow backward beckoned the man to bite the bullet and accept the deal with a defining nod. "Very good then. Let the next match begin" they slowly began assembling their pieces on the board to resume a second match. But just when Lelouch was done putting his formation together, the mall manager approached him from the sides. "Hmm?"

"Forgive my intrusion lord Lamperouge… but the slave deal we had earlier has been done. The ones you've chosen have already been sent away and should be in your estate in a few hours"

"Excellent" he then gestured to Rolo. "Rolo, can you call our home and inform the maids that we'll be having new addition?"

The boy nodded and quickly picked out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a familiar number on screen. He knew why Lelouch was doing but pretending to be a bad guy in front of everyone made him different. Lelouch was always good at acting even now and always he would fool even the greatest of detectives on his innocent look.

"Excuse me" a green haired girl dressed in a bunny costume approached them with a tray of soda in hand. "Your drinks are here. The bar manager said that it was on the house"

"Yes yes, now go!" Duke Stoneheart grumbled angrily before aggressively waving her off. "I'm busy here!"

"Of course" the girl bowed before turning her eyes to Lelouch who had his focus set on the chess board. "What of you sir? Would you like anything?"

"No I'm fine"

"Very well then" the girl then departed but before she did, she flicked a small electronic object at Lelouch's collar. "Call me if you have need of anything" and upon her return to the bar counter, she hid behind the barrels of wine and took out an earphone and place it on her ear. "Tracker planted. Moving on to phase two of the plan, over"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the security room of the mall, Jeremiah stood there patiently along with Elie as he answered the call. "Understood. Three units have gone into position. We'll commence the operation in a few more minutes" and with that he switched the phone off. "How's it going?"

"Not bad" Elie replied as he observed the game through one of the monitors. "His highness understands his opponent's move well. A game like this is nothing to him. We should probably secure the armory as well. They have better weapons there we could use and… uh?" he nearly tripped off his seat when his chair came in contact with a dead security guard. "And Jeremiah. Did you have to be so messy in your work? You practically killed this guy when he was eating"

"It was necessary" Jeremiah responded while showing off his short sword. "It was the quickest and the most discreet way o eliminating them. If I had left them alive any longer they would alert the guards. And speaking of messy. What of you? You didn't hesitate in blowing that man's head off" he gestured to another corpse with his head split open like a splattered mango. "You shot him through the mouth and the head as a bonus. Now his blood stains the whole wall. It almost looks like an art piece"

"Heh… yeah you got me there"

"We'll secure the armory on a later time. Right now our infiltration groups are spread too thin. Once we've secured his majesty we'll begin operation. By the way, how goes our escape route?"

"It's being secured as we speak" but Jeremiah simply gave him an unbelieving look. "Don't worry. She's old enough to handle a few scumbags" he turned his eye back to the screen and saw how Lelouch's pawn easily took over his opponent's queen. "Tell me… has his majesty always been good at chess?"

Jeremiah smiled proudly at him as he joined to watch the game. "Yes… his majesty was probably the best. He defeated all of his opponents with grace and without hesitation. He was a master at the game which explains why he was able to topple the Britannian army at Area 11. However… there was one who he could never defeat"

"Oh? And who might that be?"

Jeremiah grinned as he saw another brilliant move done by Lelouch. "Perhaps another time. For now we have to deal with the incoming Britannian forces. The guards stationed at Pendragon will be hard fought"

"And let's not forget the OSI either" Elie reminded. "Also…… we have to deal with that boy… Rolo. He poses as his highness's brother and I can see why can be fooled. He almost passes as a replica of a male version of princess Nunnally"

"He's obviously a member of the OSI but why would the higher-ups want a frail boy like that watching over lord Lelouch?"

"Never judge a man by his face. Come on now. Let's get rolling. It's almost time for his checkmate game. Once the enemy has us surrounded we'll make our way to the basement"

"Understood" Jeremiah nodded. "You'll be commanding the troops from here, correct? Can you handle the pressure?"

"Come now. You're talking to lord Zero's one and only apprentice here"

"Hmph…… you're too confident"

"Hey… after all… I am… the **Blue Baron**… am I not?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"… and once again… that's… checkmate…" Lelouch moved his king without the slightest hesitation and instantly he claimed victory over his opponent's superior forces. Even after losing half of his army, the boy was able to make a clear comeback with just a few pawns, his queen and his king. The duke who sat on the opposing front twitched his eye visibly in irritation. He had thought for a second that victory was his but after claiming one piece after another, he left his entire rear exposed which led to his ultimate demise. "I believe that's game for us Mr. Stoneheart"

"No… it… it can't be"

"Double the lost, therefore double the wager, isn't that right?" Lelouch smirked evilly as he laid his eyes on the large pile of cash stashed at the base of the table. "And I do believe you agreed to my bet as well, did you not?" the nobleman visibly gritted his teeth and lowered his head in shame. Never before had he faced such an opponent. The boy played him for a fool and within minutes, his entire formation was pierced by two pieces of the board. "Will you please go on all four and bark?"

"Geh!" there was a series of whispers coming from the crowd and even some of the slaves were risking to see a nobleman humiliate himself out of everyone here.

"Well?" Lelouch folded his legs together. "I'm waiting…"

And so the man did. He barked on his feet five times and altogether the audience laughed at his humiliation. The other nobles were frightened by the boy's wager but were indeed entertained by this little event. The mall manager himself was also imperially impressed. To see a noble topple a noble in front of him was like a dream come true. "A game well played your lordship"

Lelouch chuckled slightly as he picked a small portion of the money he just won to the man. "Here. Take this to the bartender and give all drinks to everyone. It's on me. Oh and keep a bit for yourself if you deem it necessary"

"T… thank you my lord! You are indeed most generous!" the man bowed deeply in glee before heading off towards the bartender.

Moments seemed to have passed after the nobleman retreated from the table in shame. The laughter followed him and the fingers pointed at him didn't seem to stop until he finally reached the restroom at the end of the hallway. After finishing his drink, Lelouch leaned back on his chair, a satisfied smile on his face and his mind calm from all emotions. Today has been very productive on his perspective. He was able to set a few slaves free from their chains, won some money to pay the huge bills and even saw a noble go bark like a dog. It has been one of the very few entertainments he was actually able to enjoy at heart.

Once the crowd slowly began to die down, his brother Rolo approached him. "Congratulation on your victory, brother" he said happily like before. "You beat him, even at a disadvantage"

"He got overconfident with his moves" he answered honestly while he waited for the valet to put the money in a tight suitcase. "The man moved everything he had up to the flanks in an attempt to pincer me which left his center wide-open to his king. Besides… he was running out of time himself… which means he was undoubtedly moving without having a clear thought"

"You really do love humiliating other nobles, do you? Even if you are a noble yourself"

"And so are you" Lelouch smiled warmly to his brother which made his twiddle his fingers embarrassingly. "You are after all, the second baron of Hollington. Though our land isn't much, the money we make today will help us increase our foothold over the Marquis of Forwood. He's been eyeing our land for quite sometime now and plans to make it a golf course the moment the opportunity arises"

"But you bought already a quarter of Forwood two months ago"

"Yes, and by purchasing the next patch of land with the village of route 19, I'll be able to secure the main production route of his firm and have a foothold over Pendragon's economy. And with that, I will be able to make our claims on the court of justice to promote our titles to Viscount. Afterwards… I have other plans… to make"

"Aren't you being a little too ambitious?" Rolo said a little frightened. "You're really risking everything and even though we're living temporarily in school we're still part of the system"

"True… and that's why I'm doing this under the law of the system itself. The authorities won't have anything to hold against me and suing me would only land me on a few shorthanded cash. But enough about that. I'm satisfied for today. Let's return home. I'm pretty sure Rivalz is already wondering if his bike was still in one piece"

"Alright" after the money was all set, Lelouch took the suitcase and gave the valet a tip for his service. Just as they were about to make it to the elevator, the lights around them began to flicker. "Huh?"

"What's going on?" as Rolo's gaze was fixed for a split moment on the flickering light bulb above him, he didn't notice the green haired bunny girl slowly approaching Lelouch from behind. Her hand slowly reached out to the boy's collar but just when she was about to go and grab him, the boy walked away grumbling at the same time.

"The electricity?" Lelouch questioned to himself before returning his gaze to the elevator. "It's probably just a flux in the power system. Nothing to be afraid of" but his words came too soon when the elevator door opened, revealing a number of armed terrorist soldiers who immediately pointed their guns at them. Before Lelouch or Rolo knew it, the nobles that stood in front of the elevator were shot into kingdom calm full of holes. Luckily they were able to dodge it in time and step out of the way. "What the…!?" the boy nearly cursed when he heard the first gun shot fill the air around them.

But the terrorists didn't stop there. After the nobles were dead they immediately aimed their weapons at the commoners at the lower floors of the mall killing any Britannian they saw in their sights.

"What in the… gahh!" the manager wasn't even able to get far when his fully was bloodied with bullet shells passing through his expensive coat. In his hand still clutched a roll of cash which was handed to him by Lelouch himself. "My…… my money…"

Screams soon filled the mall, emptying the sound of music from the speakers and the dance floor below.

"Kill'em all lads!!" the eye patched man with the Scottish accent shouted with glee as he fired a hailstorm of bullets at the oncoming guards. "Don't let any of them through! Have a blast! Bwahahahahaha!!!"

Lelouch's eyes widened with horror at the sight of this. He saw action on TV but never got to experience it first hand. _"What is this? W… what's happening? What?"_ As the bodies all around him began to fall one by one, he quickly shook his fears away when he saw his brother cowering behind him. "Rolo, listen. We're going to make it out of here understand me? Trust me! (Y… yeah) Alright. Run to the fire escape. We'll try to outrun them to the parking lot. Once we get there, we'll look for Rivalz bike and get out of here as fast as we can, alright?"

"Right…" he replied shivering a bit.

It wasn't long then until Lelouch saw the opportunity. One of the guards who tried to fight back against one of the terrorists fell on his death right in front of them and to their luck the pistol that he held slipped over to Lelouch's feet. "This will be useful, just in case" although this was probably the first time he ever held a firearm in his hand, the boy couldn't help but get a feel that he had held a gun before. But he had no time to think of it. Right now he was more focused on getting out of here. "Alright. Rolo, stick close!"

**(OSI outpost)**

The moment the announcement of a terrorist attack was leaked into the system, the OSI agents quickly began gathering all of their equipments together in preparation to head off to the mall. The leader of the group rode a Sutherland while his subordinates rode on a conveniently made truck that was disguised to look like civilian delivery van.

"My lord, a terrorist group has struck the mall!" announced one of the com officers.

"A sneak attack huh?" the CO smirked. "Their final stand I guess" he then insert his key drive onto the cockpit of the frame allowing it to activate its control interface. "All units move out. Office of Secret Intelligence, initiate Operation Valhalla 7"

**We pledge to the spirits of founding fathers**

**And the glory of the realm, our mother**

**That we shall be the shield which defend our homeland**

**And the halberds which smite those who would harm us**

"Yes, my lord!"

**(Matoir mall)**

"What!?" Elie yelled out loud to his communicator. "An initiative!? Who gave the order to attack!?"

"That mercenary captain of yours" the line responded. "He struck the mall's center before I had a chance to secure the package"

Jeremiah's eyes were obviously filled with rage as he slammed his robotic fists to the table. "Damn it! Those no good mercenaries! I'll have their heads hung up for this! What's the status of his highness?"

"He's fine. I was able to place a tracker on him. I'll head over there now but I'll need some backup to clear the guards"

"_We can't allow his majesty to leave the premises until C2 makes contact with him"_ Elie thought for a moment. With the plan placed in disarray because of some goons who were too trigger happy on their weapons he had no other choice but to go on even if it wasn't according to plan. But this was the best he could find among the rebels around the world. The Black Knights weren't going to listen to him and there was a great chance that his identity may be revealed among its members and he couldn't allow that. The Japanese were also in a non-aggression pact with this country so they were definitely out of the question. "Alright. I guess we have no choice. The Britannian military will probably get here in about three minutes and they'll have this place surrounded in no time. Monica is still handling with our escape route so we'll proceed as planned" he switched the radio to another line calling up his reserve troops. "This is the Elie calling to all units… commence Operation Final Sin… secure the mall and prepare to repel enemy attackers"

"Yes sir!"

But Jeremiah didn't seem too confident about the plan. They were already going on a heavy start and the battle was bound to get too troublesome even for them. "Are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late to back out"

"Japan will be conquered again if we don't act soon. I won't let my master's life work be taken out by some mere hoodlums"

The knight chuckled at this. "Very well then. I'll go look for his majesty. You make sure that the mall is cleared of all enemies"

"Understood" Elie then changed the frequency to his ear piece communicator. "This is Elie, target has been lost. Resume operation. Reserve force, deploy the Knightmares are the mall park and have my Sutherland ready. Third squad, secure the catwalk around the building, second squad dig in at the main entrance and prep for anti-armor combat! Chaff smoke, deploy!"

"Roger" said the soldier on the com. "We'll be moving in now!"

Immediately after the order was given, the zeppelin that landed atop the mall began to release purplish dust cloud into the atmosphere of the upper floor of the building. Not long after, a few Knightmares were suddenly down through the park level where they could deploy and manage without interruption.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The hour of battle drew near in the Red Light district after the first shot was fired. Within minutes, sirens of police and military forces began sounding into the field creating a wall of weapons which surrounded the mall on almost all sides.

A few helicopters were sent in to analyze the situation but their radar seemed to have been jammed by the dust cloud. "This is Echo 3, the enemy appears to have released chaff smoke on the upper floors. I can't get a lock on. They also appear to be well equipped. They're armed with several Knightmares. I see at least… a few Glasgows and two Sutherlands. They appear to be the leaders"

"Understood. This is the OSI. At commencement of the operation, the area has been secured, perimeter cleaning complete. All civilians and slaves have been silenced. We can enter the building through one of the emergency elevators at the rear end of the building"

"Good…" the officer leading the OSI troops nodded as checked the movement of both the military and his own forces. "Now enter the seventh sequence and prepare for contact from the target. Locate the bait and eliminate all who isn't one of us. We must make sure that our presence is not known here"

"Commander" came another caller. "The minister of Pendragon's National Guards has issued a…"

"Pay no attention to that low leveled bureaucrat" the officer spat. "Our orders come directly from the emperor himself. What they think, is of little consequence"

"Y… yes my lord!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lelouch ran. He couldn't tell how far he had ran but he knew from the shape of his legs that he just broke his own record. As he and Rolo rushed through the casino area of the mall, they could see people screaming as more and more terrorists poured from each of the entrances. The one he chose earlier did not prove to be so safe either as it was full of the terrorists themselves. As more and more bodies fell upon that floor, he noticed a large gathering of people trying to get to the elevator but found it to be overloaded.

"Get off!!" shouted one of the nobles who pushed a valet away. "You commoners can take the stairs!"

"Damn it! We're overloaded!"

"Stop pushing!"

With the elevators disabled by the people's stupidity, Lelouch ran towards another section with his heads buried behind a manmade fountain. "Damn. This doesn't look good. The whole section is being genocide by the terrorists"

"Big brother" Rolo called out. "The money bag!"

"Leave it!" he snapped at him. "Money won't bring you back to life! Now come on. We can get through the emergency stairs. If we move towards the Britannian military they'll protect us"

"R… right"

But just as they were silently moving towards the door, a terrorist suddenly blasted his way through and saw the two students to be perfect shooting targets. "And just where do you think you're goin kiddo?" the grunt smiled psychotically as he aimed the gun at Rolo which frightened him. "Kids like you shouldn't be playing at places like this. It could get dangerous hehehehe" but he was too late to pull the trigger when Lelouch shot him through the arm. "Gahh!"

"Rolo!" grabbing the momentum, Lelouch grabbed his brother's hand and dragged him towards the next section. "Come on! This way!"

"Why… you little brats!" just as the man was about to shoot back at the kid, he saw the area around him began to darken. As he looked up, he was barely able to even let out a scream as a Sutherland's foot plastered onto his face.

Not long afterwards, a few more Knightmares broke through the windshield of the building and began returning fire at the terrorists. Rolo of course could tell that they belonged to… "The Britannian Millitary!" but he was proven wrong when he noticed that these soldiers were firing their weapons even without caring who stood in their way. A bullet nearly hit him as he and Lelouch ducked behind a shop.

Even Lelouch could tell that something was wrong. Those soldiers weren't just firing on the terrorists but they were also deliberately firing on civilians whether they'd be noblemen or commoners alike. But he had no time to think about that. "Rolo, come on!"

But then suddenly, the boy's day just got worst when a terrorist Glasgow suddenly dropped in from the ceiling. But this one was unlike the other Glasgows that Lelouch saw in his time. While most Glasgows had a full black body, this one had its head piece slightly modified with horns and painted in the color red. And when it landed on the floor it quickly nailed two OSI Sutherlands to the ground with a single wave of its gun. The third one saw its comrades destroyed so he began firing back while withdrawing to a more defendable position. It hid between two pillars at the end of the floor which gave it ample cover. But little did he knew that his opponent was smart. By firing its bullets onto the supporting pillar it toppled the balcony above, crushing the third Sutherland along with it.

With the enemy drawn away, Lelouch quickly move out with Rolo still in hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They later reached the incomplete section of the mall which was barred by a strong bulkhead door. "Rolo, this way!" Lelouch cried out to his brother before closing the door behind him. Once he knew that both of them were safe for the time being he allowed himself to catch a breather. He bent onto his knee and let out a large bead of sweat that would've filled a bucket. But as he thought back of that recent action he couldn't stop himself from believing that he's seen that Glasgow before. _"What the hell's going on? That Knightmare earlier… it looked… it looked like it was trying to protect us"_

An explosion occurred which broke him off his thoughts.

"Lelouch, what do we do now?" Rolo called out now visibly frightened just a little bit. Lelouch had to admit then that his little brother was remaining calm on this situation. He expected him to panic and run like a scared rabbit but luckily he was able to hold himself together.

"Don't worry" he replied before regaining his composure. "We'll be alright, I promise you. I'll get us out of here" he tried to sooth his brother by giving his a slight tap on the shoulder.

"Y… yeah… I'm sure" the boy stated back now a little assured of their safety.

Lelouch smile faded almost as quickly as it came then when he heard Rolo's reply. When his eyes darted to the side he saw a terrorist holding a rifle pointing directly at his brother. Following his sibling instinct, Lelouch leaped into the fray and pushed Rolo out of the firing range. The shot came and both bullets missed the two of them just by a mere second. They could see the man trying to fire again but found his gun jammed thanks to the accumulated dust in the area.

The two brothers were about to run again to safety but not before another explosion occurred, blowing the gunman off the catwalk and sending a gush of wind through the hallway. It wasn't long then until Lelouch lost his balance from the blast and fell towards the empty stretch.

Rolo's eyes saw his brother's demise and leaped in, in hopes of saving him. But alas… his fingers slipped through Lelouch's hand, their index fingers just barely touching each other making him fall into the empty darkness below. "Lelouch!!!!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hrahhhh!!!!" the scream of the pilot of a damaged Knightmare echoed through the chambers of the casino as a Blue Sutherland cornered him onto the wall with its flamethrower arm. "P… please don't… I beg of you!" he was obviously part of a larger squad who came in to eliminate everyone in their tracks whether they would be civilians or terrorist. "I… I'm just a soldier. I don't have any rank. There's no worth killing me!"

But Elie simply laughed sarcastically at the man's plea. "Ha! Listen to yourself. You're a soldier… are you not? A soldier's duty is to live, serve and die for their purpose. If you begged for your life… then you shouldn't have taken the arms of the sword at all"

"Please sir! Have mercy!"

"Mercy!? You slaughtered innocent civilians in your carnage! What of your mercy!?" he snapped while grilling his weapon to his side. "People like you should perish from this world rather than to live among the mortals!"

"I was only following orders sir!"

"That's just another petty excuse for committing a crime" Elie saw no more reason in conversing with the dead man so with a press of a trigger, he ignited the cockpit and allowed it to burn before his eyes. "Pathetic. This is truly what Britannia is made of… isn't it: Weaklings and corrupted scumbags. It hasn't changed at all…" In a few seconds the Sutherland was turned into a crisp and its arms and legs soon detached from its body. He later directed his attention to the incoming call from his radio. "What is it?"

"This is C2. I've found the target. I'm moving in to intercept"

"Understood. Jeremiah and I will be rendezvousing at the same spot. All units hold position until we got the package"

"Yes, sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ge… geh…" Lelouch woke from his unconscious state a few minutes after his long fall from the parapet. His eyes darted in question as he knew he must've at least fallen off three floors or more. There was no way he could've survived such a fall and still be in one piece. And his answer came when he looked upwards on the paper plastics that lined up the building areas. "Ugh…… wha… (gasp!) ROLO!" he shouted out trying to see if he could get a reply. But the echo of his voice was simply all that returned. "Damn it" he quickly took out his cell phone but saw that the 'no signal' sign was plastered on the screen.

"_I'm out of range?"_ his thoughts panicked to his worried brother. _"What do I do now? At this rate we'll both be…"_ he quickly shook the thought away of surrendering to death itself. Taking whatever was left of his courage and his strength Lelouch picked up his gun from the rubble and took the staircase all the way back up. _"No… I have to try and save him. The least I should be able to do is save my only brother. Even I ought to have enough strength in me to do that……… I have to!"_

He made his way through the many nooks and crannies created from the explosions. As he made it to the third floor, he noticed that the explosion that happened earlier leveled that section of the staircase. He grumbled out silently to himself and took cover behind a cemented parking lot as a group of terrorists patrolled the area trying to find whoever was left. "Damn… they're everywhere. I won't be able to move fast like this"

Afterwards he quickly rushed towards a small crack on the wall to avoid the guards stationed there. But when he was inside, he noticed a large pile of men and women littered along the floor. He recognized a few of them who were able to get to the safety of the elevator but it seemed like they met the same fate as everyone else in this god forsaken mall. "Terrorists are responsible for this? But…… why? Why bring the civilians into the fray?" he held his breath together and tried to make through the large range of the dead but found that his stomach was unable to take the gut of everything. He held his mouth closed trying to prevent himself from vomiting.

"The… stench…… it's unbearable…" he turned his eye to the wall where an old wanted poster of Zero was hung up. "This is all your fault isn't it? Because of you the terrorists have become bolder and resistance rises up everywhere. If you… if you hadn't existed none of this would've happened" but just as he turned his head away from the poster his eyes soon caught sight of the Glasgow that saved him and his brother earlier standing right before him blending with the shadows. "Gah! One of the terrorists' Knightmares!" he gasped.

The Glasgow may have been the smallest of the all the Knightmares but even so it was still a sight to tremble at. The unit itself appeared to be damage and most of its parts were dented by gunshots from small arms fire. When the cockpit hatch opened, Lelouch beckoned himself to move. He tried to run away but the sheer size and terror of the machine made his legs quiver with fright. "What do I do?" he gritted his teeth as he questioned himself of the terrorist's next action. "Will they kill me? Even if I run…"

"Lelouch…" the voice from the Glasgow spoke catching his attention. As the frame slowly turned around the light from the opened ceiling soon rayed upon the pilot who the boy could easily identify as a green haired girl of some sort. She did not look any older than him and her facial expression was not one that he could easily read. "I came to get you out of here Lelouch" she continued with a stoic voice. "I am on your side… an ally… and it is time to remember your sworn enemy… Britannia"

"Huh?" Lelouch backed away slightly but was still unable to get a hold of himself. The girl was speaking to him as if he knew him but he was certain that he didn't know her.

C2 would've laughed at his frightened expression as it was one he doesn't normally show on normal circumstances. But she digressed as the situation seemed to call upon speed today. "We have a contract" she added. "You and I are both accomplices… remember?"

When Lelouch was able to get his legs to cooperate at last he stood back up on his own feet but not once did he tare his gaze from the girl. "A contract? Accomplices?" he knew the words but they felt alien to him somehow.

"I'm the only one who knows you… the real you"

The words rung clear in echo around the dead hall and for some reason, Lelouch began to feel a spur happening at the spine of his brain. "What does she mean… the real me?" but before he could get an answer his body seemed to compel to her words, as if reacting upon a different set of memories. His eyes daunted yet the same time confused and untrusting. His legs did not stop and slowly he approached her Knightmare with relative ease.

The green haired girl smiled a demon's smile and extended her hand in offer to the Dark Lord. But then… right before their joined hands came in contact, a gunshot fired… hitting her straight from behind through her left breast. "L… Lelouch…" when her body fell from the cockpit of the Glasgow, the boy's mind reacted on instinct and rushed to her side before she fell straight to the floor.

"H… hey! Are you alright!?" but he was too late… the blood on her suit was clear cut sign that she was hit and her silent pulse told that she had already passed on. "Hey!" he tried to shake her awake but to no avail. He knew that she was dead but his mind refused to believe it for some reason. In time… his gaze turned upon the shooter who happened to be a Sutherland of the OSI and a small platoon of soldiers standing on both its flanks. "W… why are soldiers…?" and just when things couldn't get horrifying enough, one of the infantry pulled out a flamethrower from his pack and ignited it, burning everything and every corpse in the room. "H… hold on! What are you…?" a scream occurred causing him to turn his eyes to that direction.

A waitress who attempted to sneak out was caught in the blaze and when the flames touched her body, the pain surged through her clothes and clearly she screamed through the whole floor.

"Stop it, that woman's still alive!" Lelouch tried to stop them with his voice but all he got in response was a gunshot sent straight to the maid's head.

When the area seemed to have been cleansed by the troops, the officer who piloted the Sutherland decided to make his appearance before the boy. "You've served your function well, good Lelouch Lamperouge" he announced.

"Function?" the boy looked back at him puzzled. "What are you talking about!?"

But the man simply grinned at his confusion as he pulled out a notebook from his pocket. The words on its front cover were clearly seen by Lelouch. "We've had our eye on you for a very long time on you, young man. (Ahem) Wakes up at 6:59 AM, from 7:12 AM watches the news with his little brother, Rolo while eating breakfast, no ideological deviation with the program he watches, 8:45 AM, goes to class but doesn't attend his morning homeroom or 1st period class, instead he reads on the roof. During his 2nd period…"

As more and more details came from the man's mouth, Lelouch quickly realized that those were the activities that he had done today. He indeed woke up late that morning and skipped his morning classes and went to the roof to read a book that he was trying to finish. But… how could he have known that?

"Those are things… I've done today"

Satisfied with the boy's realization, the OSI officer let out an evil grin off his lips. "I'd prefer to think of it as a pet diary or… Bait… Journal, if you would so kindly…"

"Bait Journal?"

"Or call it a trap if you wish, for that witch… all to lure C2 out of hiding"

"C2?" Lelouch motioned to the dead girl in his arms. "No wait! Please, what's going on!?"

"Boy, I'll have you know that I… am a Baron. I'm through wasting on bait like you. Now… time to dispose of you" he said the last phrase in a singsong tone. "And there won't be any witnesses left"

"D… dispose?" As the soldiers readied their guns at him, Lelouch quickly knew that this was his end. But even if death was starring at him face to face, his heart refused to accept it. _"Is this… the end for me? Without even knowing why? So a matter of factly?"_ When his eyes went on to the many corpses around him, he began to hear the begging voices of the dead. They were begging him… no… demanding him to live, like they were chanting his name from the afterlife, cheering for his salvation.

"Z…… e… r…… o" was the name they were whispering.

"_To hell with that!!"_ Lelouch screamed at his head gritting his teeth in anger. Angered by the lack of strength to even survive.

"Ze……r……o..."

"_Power! If I only had power!"_

"Z… e……… ro!"

"_The power to escape this place!"_

"Ze………r…o!"

"_The power not to lose to the world!!"_ he was then grasped from his thoughts when the green haired witch rose from her lifeless body and nabbed his head. Before Lelouch could comprehend what had taken him, the girl he knew as C2 placed his lips on hers in a silent but deep kiss. In an instant… the boy found himself in a different land… a different place… perhaps even a different world._ "What? What is this?" _he saw dust clouds covering his sights for a moment before revealing on the other end a planet as empty as the desert itself.

"You desire power?" the witch's voice echoed from the deep.

"_That voice. The girl who was shot?"_

"You already possess the power you seek" the voice continued as it revealed fragments of different memories from different people altogether. "It's merely imprisoned within a cage of amnesia. Remember……… remember who you really are! The power of the Devil… the king… resides within you! Now…… let that seal… be broken!"

Clash!

The illumined sound of a glass breaking crushed through the barriers of the red rings that surrounded the eyes of the Dark Lord. As the memories slowly flooded into his brain, Lelouch began to feel the power within him grow with each second. He remembered… he remembered who he truly was and what he was to begin with. The mask that he adopted and the mask that he threw away… it all became clear to him.

When the seal of unmarked Geass broke at last, Lelouch focused his ears on the voices of the dead whose name he could now clearly hear.

"_Yes… I see now"_ he muttered out softly _"Persistent irritation that pricked me like thorns in my every day life. Yes…… it was all the phony memories implanted in me"_ a vision of his mother, Lady Marianne and his father, Emperor Charles came to light in his thoughts which once again fueled the anger that had not been stoked for many months. _"But I remember now. I am…… I am………… I am…"_

"ZERO!!!" the screams of the dead rung clear as the devil was again reborn onto this world.

…

…

…

…

…

"_Lelouch…… I'm not asking for forgiveness. After all… we are friends… aren't we?"_

…

…

…

…

"_Yes… that's your answer… isn't it… Suzaku?"_ when his eyes opened again, Lelouch was reborn from the embers of flame that surrounded him. As his body rose from his slumbering position, the witch rose as well as if unharmed by the bullet. "Before you dispose of me, I'd like you to answer a question" he spoke in a tone that changed his entire character.

"That girl is still alive!" one of the soldiers yelled out shocked.

"Impossible! She was through the heart!"

With the guns lowered for a moment and the momentum turning favorably to his side, Lelouch continued his stroll towards the firing squad with his hands aimlessly dusting the dirt off his clothes. "If being powerless is so terribly wrong then does having power make you right? (Huh?) Do you find vengeance, evil? What's your value of friendship? Is it justice?"

But the man simply grinned in reply. "Heh. There's no justice or evil. The only truth that's left for you, 'bait' is the simple reality of death"

"I see…" his voice sounded disappointing. "Then that reality is all that remains for you as well. I… Lelouch vi Britannia command you…… all of you……… **Die!**"

"Lelouch…?" the officer's eyes widened upon his realization. "Lelouch vi……… no it… it can't be! Then that means…" but it was too late for the mild man or his soldiers to do anything upon realizing the boy's true identity. Right before they knew it, the Geass of Absolute Obedience corrupted their thoughts, bending their very mind, body and willpower to the hands of the Dark Lord.

Upon the command of the exiled Prince, the soldiers laid their arms in attention as they yelled out. "Yes, you highness!" their smile was unnatural… as if sadistic and inhumane… like they were happy just to do anything the boy commanded them to do. And so… in response to his order, they aimed their weapons at each other and without even the slightest bit of hesitation, they fired. One by one their shots connected and within moments, their bodies fell to the floor, their eyes still wide and their inhumane smile still plastered among their faces.

"_Yes…… ever since that day, my heart simply couldn't accept it. This fake life I was never able to fit into. All the time that was lost, these false memories planted in me, giving me a life of one of the heard. Yet… the truth continues to guide me toward itself. That's right! It wasn't me who was wrong… it was the world!!!"_

Two Sutherlands broke the roof thereafter and immediately upon sighting their lord they bowed to him without regret. Their dominating presence quickly stammered out by the sight of respect and fear for the boy. "The world has to change, so I will change it…"

With C2 by his side the Blue Sutherland opened its Factsphere and allowed the pilot's voice to speak up with piety. "We've been waiting for you, Master Zero…… Please…… command us to do your bidding…"

Lelouch grinned and slowly raise his hand with great poise and grace. "Very well then…… because after all… I am Zero, the one who will crush the world… and the one who will recreate the world anew!"


	10. The Plan to Take All

**Chapter 10: The Plan to Take All**

**(Matoir Mall courtyard)**

The battle at Matoir mall was intensifying with every minute that passed by. As more and more military troops showed on the streets, a blockade was soon issued around the district blocking all possible escape routes for the terrorists that took over the mall. The battle seemed assure for the Britannians now that they have ample troops within the mall itself. With their superior numbers and firepower, they were already certain that victory was within their grasp. All they needed to do there was wait for their opponents to show up so they can easily mow them down with ease.

But little did they realize that the force they were facing now… outmatched their tactical prowess by a grand margin.

When a G-1 fortress rolled its massive body onto the courtyard of the mall, the tactical officers on board quickly began discussing their plans for the operation.

"Alright, what's our status?" one of the nameless officers asked. "Someone give me an outlay of the situation"

"Yes sir. The forces that are held up at Matoir mall have taken hold of the mall's inner parking area. From the looks of their Knightmare emblems they appear to be members of mercenary group called the Royal Flush. They're an assembled organization of foreign soldiers of conquered nations"

"A mercenary company?" another officer raised a brow in question. "They must be deploying all their troops here for a grand stand. Tch. They're nothing more than people who are just trying to put themselves on the history books. Have the ground force move in from the 2nd floor and advance onward. The aerial troops will be begin their descend once we have the ground level secured"

"Yes, my lord!"

With the order given, a large number of Sutherlands were suddenly deployed from the mobile fortress and hastily broke through the improvised barricade that the terrorists set up to hold the armored vehicles.

**(Matoir mall parking lot)**

Lelouch groaned. After his memories had returned to him the past slowly began to resurface back onto his eyes. He felt as if he had just lost a year of his life through that one death struggle and that his father, the emperor of Britannia was the one responsible for it. It felt so surreal and false at the same time. Like a sequel to a movie that he happened to miss. But he remembered it now. The time when Suzaku destroyed the Knightmare frame, Gawain and tore him from the cockpit of that machine… it ran all too well into his mind.

Later he remembered being taken to Kamine Island and presented to that giant door that he saw earlier during his recent actions against Prince Schneizel. He didn't know how but when he was taken through that door he quickly found himself in Britannia. For about a week he spent his life in a cell locked in the deepest part of the royal prison where only few are able to visit it.

When the time came to be presented to the emperor… he remembered what the man had done. Suzaku presented him to the emperor like a trophy tied in a ribbon. He became a member of the Knights of the Round because of it. The boy sold out his nation… of course he would sell out his friends… it was a tragedy… but one that gave Lelouch the chance he never thought he got.

He was now within Britannia.

This came as an opportunity… a chance to strike where Britannia would hurt the most. If all goes well… he would be able to do some serious damage and set the Empire's progress for months, maybe years even.

"C2…" the boy spoke out to his accomplice.

"Don't even think about it" she whined. "I'm not the one who gave the emperor his Geass"

The boy saw some hint of truth so he decided to pull some more information. If he was a going to set himself up in this new world, then he was going to need every bit of detail that he missed. In the time span of one year, military positions could've changed, politics run differently, contacts lost and many more uncertain aspects. "So where is Nunnally now?"

"Jeremiah and Elie, tried to find your sister" she explained. "But with the Black Knights refusing to assist them and our resources limited, their search has been… futile"

"What about Sayoko and the members of the Black Knights?"

"Your maid is currently still working at the base command posing as a servant for Diethard. (Hmm?) Don't worry, she's fine" C2 then motioned to her damaged Glasgow and saw if it was still serviceable for combat. "As for Diethard, he's gone into a small state of depression. Your deputy command, Ohgi, is the one leading the Black Knights now. But after your fall at Japan… the Black Knights have been reduced to a small band of soldiers. All of the original members are still there including Kallen. Still… the only people who knows of your identity is Elie, Jeremiah and I. No one else. And no one knew of Nunnally's real importance so none of them can be blamed. Besides… you were the one who sent her to Britannia in the first place"

Lelouch nodded and quickly took the log from the OSI officer's pocket and hid it to his own. With the grim reality slowly returning to his conscious he focused on the more pressing matters. "Very well. Then this adds to my objective. I'll find the one who gave the emperor his Geass and then… get Nunnally" but upon remembering his little sister from his past his mind quickly reverted back to Rolo whose identity had yet remain hidden from his grasp. "I had a younger sister… but not a younger brother! So…… who is he?"

"An agent of the OSI" Jeremiah's voice responded to that question as his figure rolled in from the shadow of his Knightmare. Upon coming to a distance to Lelouch with Elie by his side, they both bowed deeply on their knees. "Your majesty…"

"Elie Damon Deledantes… and Jeremiah Gottwald… my Knights of Zero. How excellent"

"Your highness, forgive us…" Elie stated with his head still lowered. "… for coming for you at such a late time. Punish us as you may see fit"

"I must admit that you took long in your preparations, my apprentice" Lelouch squandered at his failure. "I would've done it quicker even without my Geass. But since this is your first attempt of an operation… let this one slide for now. There are a lot of questions I want to ask both of you, but it will have to wait we're safely out of the district"

"Yes, your majesty" they both said in unison before rising back on their feet.

"Now then…… my knights. It's time. Get to your positions and I will contact you from your frequency. It's time to let Britannia remember how to fear once more"

**(Ashford University)**

"Wyatt? (Here) Gregory? (Here) Shirley Fenette? (Here)" the teacher was calling out the rows of attendance that afternoon with her hand firmly gripping on the clipboard in front of her. It was just another normal school day with nothing unusual happening and all the peaceful moments going by without anyone's care. "Lelouch Lamperouge? (……) Lelouch Lamperouge, are you…… where is Lelouch this time!?"

"He seemed to have gone out ma'am" said one of the students. "He took his brother Rolo along with him"

"What!?" the teacher snapped. "Not again! Just what is that boy thinking? Passing out on a good day of education, like this. If he doesn't improve, I will have to do something about this. These noblemen… tch… they're all alike!"

"Well, this is the usual thing" another student chuckled. "I mean come on… doesn't Lelouch skipped almost all of his classes? I mean, it's not anything new. He's been doing that ever since he got here in the first place" a chain of laughter followed with several nods agreeing with his statement.

But at the back, only Shirley seemed to be worried about Lelouch's whereabouts. "Oh Lulu…… where are you out gambling this time?" suddenly an explosion occurred, catching the attention of the entire class. "Huh?" when everyone turned their heads to the window, they noticed a large concentration of smoke was rising from the Red Light district. "What in the…"

"Hey! Check it out! There's smoke coming from the 3rd district!"

"No way! A fire outbreak?"

"Impossible. There hasn't been a fire like that for the past two years. Not since the Pendragon incident"

"A terrorist attack maybe?"

"Now that's just freaky!"

It wasn't long then until Milly's voice entered the fray of the school announcement speakers. "Attention, students of Ashford University. As you may have already noticed, there has been a breakout at the Red Light district. From official announcements, it is said that a group of terrorists are responsible for the outbreak. Due to the proximity of the school to the district, class has been suspended for the time being. All students are to leave immediately and return tomorrow. That is all"

"A terrorist attack?" Rivalz said with a puzzled face. "Boy. I hope Lelouch didn't go there"

"I'm worried too" Shirley admitted. "I hope he doesn't get his brother in trouble.

"Who cares about them? I'm more worried about my bike" the boy replied which only made Shirley grumble in response. "Huh? What? Did I say something wrong?"

**(Matoir mall courtyard)**

The battle was proving well for the Britannian military force. As more explosions echoed from the building another spot on the map switched off telling of another kill on their side. With overwhelming majority in the fight, the officers who were stationed at the G-1 fortress could rest easily as they knew that the whole situation was contained.

"This is A-Squad, the ground floor has been secured. Enemy troops are withdrawing to the higher levels. We have them on the run"

"Good work. Now send in the aerial team" the commander ordered out. "We'll sandwich the terrorists within and wipe them all out!"

"Yes, my…… huh? What the? Is that… ahh~ arghhhh!!!" the radio signal ended with the man screaming his end.

"Squad A, what's wrong?" static was all that remained of the com channel as the officer in charge tried to get back the signal. "Squad A, report your status. (…… static) Tch. Squad D, head towards Squad A's position"

"We're on route now. We should be getting a visual on….. huh? What the!? It's… (static)"

"Squad D!"

With two of their units now down for the count the officers quickly returned to their post to analyze the situation. "What's happening?"

"Sir!" came another soldier's voice. "Both units at the main entrance of the gate have been wiped out by the enemy!"

"They're trying to breakthrough? What are the enemy numbers?"

"Just one sir. A single Knightmare is tearing through our defense lines! It's a Blue Sutherland equipped with some kind of a flamethrower!"

"A flamethrower?" when the screen suddenly plopped up to the main entrance they immediately saw the said Sutherland charging in with a Riot Shield in one hand and a unique weapon on the other. "What are our defense forces doing!? Fire at it now!" the large tank battalions open fired on the terrorist commander but its Riot Shield proved formidable even to large firearms like those of the military. When it got close enough it hastily spread a large fire around the main entrance, melting all those who were caught in the process. "What the!?"

"My lord, the main entrance is blocked! The fire has spread to our tanks and infantry units are getting caught in the blast!"

"Damn them! Pull our troops out of there and get the fire station on the line! Tell them to send all their teams here as soon as they can!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back inside the mall security room, Lelouch smiled proudly at the beginning of his artwork. With the main entrance now blocked by the raging fire, the Britannian forces could no longer send reinforcements from the ground. That means that they had the enemy cornered at the very mall they tried to trap them in. "Well done N-2, now move on to the third floor and join up with your squadron. With their ground reinforcements cancelled we can focus on securing our ground here in the mall. (Yes, my lord) P-7 block the stairway"

The boy looked to one of the cameras and saw one of the mercenaries fire a rocket to the staircase, trapping a group of Knightmares at the floor level. With their point of advance and retreat halted, they were completely sitting ducks. "Good, now R-5, fire left 30 degree downward" he looked at another camera and saw a single Glasgow mow the trapped force down with a single barrage of missiles. "N-1, fire on the pillars and bring the entire parking lot section down" Jeremiah obeyed and quickly fired onto the two pillars supporting the floor section. In a matter of seconds the platoon that held position there was quick to withdraw. "Excellent. Now march through the hole on the ground and eradicate the troops there"

"With great pleasure, your majesty" Jeremiah said grinningly. "All units advance! Show no mercy!"

"Hoo!!"

With things proceeding accordingly to his plan, Lelouch couldn't help but smile. It has been awhile since he had this feeling. The feeling of power… how seeing people dance at the palm of his hands like dolls being controlled by an invisible string. "Excellent. C2, how's it going on your end?"

"We're almost done here" she replied through the com. "The explosives we placed should be enough to sink the whole building. We'll need about 10 minutes… perhaps more"

"Very well. We're just about done in clearing out the troops here" Lelouch motioned himself to the screen where the blimps slowly dotted down one by one. "Elie, Jeremiah. (Yes?) Once you've cleared the floors assemble everyone down at the auditorium. We're going to have a meeting there… oh and bring the mercenaries there too. I'd like to meet the man myself"

Elie visibly smiled on his side of the frame as he understood well what his master was planning. "Yes of course, my master"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back inside the G-1, the whole command staff were panicking. A few minutes after the Blue Sutherland made his appearance; there were reports of a terrorist counterattack happening at the mall. Their troops were getting slaughtered one after another like a domino set. Before they could even begin to order a regroup they would become scattered again like a pack of mosquitoes unable to find rest. Before they knew it, they were quickly down to their last few Knightmares sent by the aerial force.

"Contact lost on the forth floor!"

"Squad E and C are facing heavy resistance on the rooftop! We're unable to provide air support due to the chaff gas!"

"Retreat route six has been cut off! The enemy is holding position up by the 2nd floor! We've got reports of a rocket launcher positioned up there!"

"They're monitoring our transmission again! Change IFF codes!"

"We have! Eight times already! They're dominating our ground space on the 9th floor!"

"Sir Caljun's unit has been wiped out!"

"Outrageous! Who the hell is commanding these terrorists!?" the officer barked out.

"Forget that!" another one let out. "We have to withdraw! Order all troops to pull out and have our armored divisions cover them with their cannons! Bombard the whole second floor if you have to!"

"Sir, escape route three has been secured by our forces. Sending transmission to all units of the area"

"Right! Have them fall back to that position and regroup!"

But just as they were groaning about their defeat at the hands of a few enemy numbers, the door to the command room suddenly opened revealing a rather large man with white curly mustache. "What is the meaning of this!?" he questioned out while holding a slice of ham on his hand. From one of his clothes alone any man could tell that this person was a nobleman of high rank. With his grotesque attitude and smirking looks and his round belly he was a glutton and one who would not be easy to face in a public matter. "I was brought out of my lunch because of this!"

"T… the minister?" one of the officers recognized his face. "Margrave Owel? The minister of Pendragon's National Guards?"

"That's right!" he yelled out. "I'm taking command of this ridiculous operation! The whole contingency of the National Guards are being deployed. The military will be following my orders from here on out! With the emperor's absence, I am in command!"

The officers were reluctant at first seeing that the man had barely any combat experience of his own but they digressed as they knew that they could not deny protocols. If they did they would face court marshal for sure. "Y… yes, my lord!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lelouch was smiling widely at that time in the auditorium room that time. He could already tell from the stench and the smell that this place wasn't used to hold meetings or any of that sort. But most likely it was made for a slave show. A place where only noblemen are allowed to enter and bid for their new slaves. It was an inhumane entertainment but something like this always pays big. He knew this because he was a slave buyer himself. The cheapest one he ever saw was one that was sold for 20,000 credits and that alone can feed a man for at least a year or more.

When he entered the place he found it to be packed full with Jeremiah and Elie on the sides and one who appeared to be the captain of the mercenary forces that led here. At the audience seats, about a hundred of soldiers were cheering altogether with glee of their recent victory against Britannia.

"Your majesty" Jeremiah bowed to the prince's presence.

"Jeremiah, Elie. So this is the force that you assembled for me?" Lelouch starred at the rowdy bunch of soldiers below him. "A disorganized military group of militias?"

"I have no excuses for my unsubtle force, my lord" Elie bowed apologetically. "I had only thought of taking you, not staging such a strong point of resistance"

"I see…" Lelouch nodded. "Then I guess this will do. You've done well… but for now we'll have to move on to…"

"Aye so this be Zero eh?" the Scottish wanabe pirate man launched himself up to the stage with a bottle of wine in hand interrupting the conversation with his loud mouth. "What a little chump! I thought you'd be taller and bigger! Bwahahaha! But you're no older than my poor eyed tramp back home, hahahaha!"

"Why you insolent…!" Jeremiah would've pulled a sword at that man for disrespecting Lelouch but Elie stopped him. "Don't try to stop me! It's because of this man that our plan almost went awry! If it were not for C2 then we would…"

"I know that you are furious Jeremiah but we need him right now"

"Grah!" Jeremiah quickly sheathed his sword and turned away in a grunt noise.

Lelouch was pleased that Elie was able to get things contained. If Jeremiah had gone berserk they would've had their hands full. "What of the escape route?"

Elie answered back. "Huh? Oh yeah. It's all set. I have an informant at the lower levels. The emergency elevators should be enough to accommodate us when we make our escape"

"And don't be forgetting about us either" the merc captain reminded while rubbing his fingers together with a sly grin. "I'll be getting my green the moment we get out of this hell hole"

"Don't worry Mr. Dan. Your payment will be ready when lord Lelouch and the two of us reach a safe distance from Pendragon"

"But I'll also be expecting a little extra" he added. "If a certain someone should learn of a certain masked leader's identity, I hope a little money will help make me forget"

"Why you!?" Jeremiah seethed.

"That wasn't part of the agreement, Dan" Elie reasoned. "We had a deal already"

"Then I guess you won't mind seeing the picture of the young prince of Britannia posted on the news all over the world tomorrow eh?" he held out a tape recording device which seemed to have vital evidence that Lelouch was indeed Zero and the prince of Britannia. Lelouch smiled. It was a common and typical blackmail but nothing that impressed him. At least not yet. "I made a dozen copies of these already. If word of this little baby get out, I bet someone in the military force will pay me handsomely for this piece of information, don'cha think?"

"Hmm…" Elie thought for a moment but saw no point in this argument. As his eye turned to his master, they both had the same idea of what was to be the reward of these greedy men. "Very well Dan… you made your point. I agree to your terms" when he sent a wink signal to Jeremiah they both quickly grinned evilly as they knew of what was to come next.

"I agree" Lelouch said finally after a short moment of silence. "Well then… let us give you your reward. What is it that you desire?" he said dramatically like a true Zero.

"2 mil extra in cash and a boat load of ladies! Hahahahahaha!" the other mercenaries laughed with him adding to their evil intent. "Can you cope with that lassy?"

"A reasonable price" It was then Lelouch removed the bang covering his right eye and showed his Geass to them all. "But you wouldn't mind hearing to my offer instead now, would you? (Uhh…?) **From here onward… your loyalty belongs to me…"** and with the order, the sigil in his eyes moved onto the captain's, twisting and bending his will to his own. **"Do we have an agreement?"**

The man's voice then reverted back to his original accent which was surprisingly a European. "Yes… my lord. What will you have of us?" immediately the whole company was under complete control of Lelouch's Geass. Their minds now warped and controlled… like drones bent under his will.

With a smile on his face, Lelouch turned to his knights and began his next phase of the plan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The minister of Pendragon's National Guard wasted no effort at all in providing assistance to the forces inside. The moment he took his seat on the G-1 fortress, he ordered every soldier within the walls of Pendragon to prepare a massive attack on the mall. He planned to hit every entrance and every nook and cranny and wipe the building off the face of the map. The officers were definitely against this but none of them could voice out their complaints. With the mall now in the hands of the terrorist, they had little say in the matter at all.

"Alright…" the minister widened his smile as he took another bite off his turkey leg. "Special Division Four will attack from the top of the mall. Once the fire here dies down we'll rush to their position and wipe them all out"

"Yes my lord"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The hallway at the basement of the mall was dark. Darker than most places Lelouch has been through for the past couple of days. There were several rooms situated at the sides which he recalled the mall manager saying that they were rooms for the slaves. It was strange how people built service tunnels beneath the layered earth. Usually, architects would be building their masterpiece on a higher scale contributing to the skyscrapers of the city but there are a rare few who had the vision of a mythical dwarf creature who would rather dig until he reaches the very center of earth itself. The architect of this building was one such man.

Though Lelouch contributed much of his talents to this operation, he found his apprentice's escape route to be rather impressive. Surely no one would expect the terrorist of using such an old escape route built next to the sewer drainage system. It was built during the reign of the 96th emperor of Britannia a long time ago to use as substations for electricity to flow more freely. But now that Sakuradite was the main source of such power, Charles thought that they served no purpose and left them there to rot and collect dust in the passing of time.

"My lord, this way" Elie gestured with his hand for the boy to hurry. "Our plans are already in motion and we still have to bring you back safely to Japan before we can begin our resurrection of Zero. I have my agents working on retrieving your mask and cape. Once we make our way through a gap in the Britannia's radar system we'll head for one of the islands that's not in control of the main army. We'll have to hasten with our plans and skip our rest period and…"

But Lelouch simply quirk a brow up his eye. "Are you telling me what to do, Elie? You should remember your place."

"F… forgive me my lord" Elie lowered himself. "I am simply concerned about your well being. The sooner we get you out of here the faster we can continue with the revolution"

"No…" he spoke out clearly which made everyone stammer. "The revolution will have to be postponed. Until I am certain of Nunnally's whereabouts and safety, I won't take action without caution. I'll admit, your plan of escaping Britannia sounds solid, Elie… but regardless… I won't do anything that will jeopardize my sister"

"I… I understand completely my lord" Elie was somewhat disappointed that he wasn't able to show his plan to his master. But he had other chances waiting for him. "Then what do you suggest we do from here on end?"

"For the mean time, I'll play along as a student of Ashford U. They probably have someone watching over me if I do anything suspicious" he then took out the log book he scavenged from the OSI officer earlier and opened its contents. "Also, by judging the information from this book: The military force doesn't know about me or my true identity as Zero or the Prince of Britannia… so that means that my opponent isn't the imperial government but the Office of Secret Intelligence"

Jeremiah recognized the name. "The emperor's personal agents. No doubt they'll be more cautious after this incident. Shall we kill them for you your highness?"

"No" Lelouch replied plainly. "Killing them will only lay out more suspicion on me and I have enough heat as it is. If I want to get out of the sensors of the OSI… then I'll have to bring their entire command structure down on my knees. It's the only way. By using their resources and their contacts I'll be able to make them my primary strike force in bringing down Britannia from within"

"But we won't have much time my lord" Elie beckoned out with his arms waving dramatically. "If we linger too long, the Britannian forces will take over Japan once again and reclaim it as Area 11"

This news of course made Lelouch raise a brow of question. "Japan? I thought they were in a non-aggression pact with one another. Have they burned the treaty already? Who commands the fleet?"

"The first Princess of Britannia, Guinevere Su Britannia" Elie answered. "She raised her personal army in minor skirmishes with the Japanese but nothing that would escalate to a full scale war. However…… if my information is accurate, they'll probably try to invade it, disregarding the treaty along with it. I guess you could say that they'll use that thing as a smokescreen to hide what's happening. As of this moment, I heard from the docks that two divisions of Knightmares were transferred to her command and so has Commander Guilford"

"Guilford?" Lelouch seemed surprise to see such a military man of such stature, pride and knowledge serve under such a lewd princess like Guinevere. He remembered her when she came to Aries Villa once or twice and from those two visits, Lelouch could already tell what kind of a person she was. She was nothing more but a materialist. She craves power more than anything else and would do anything to get them. Though she may be a prideful girl, Lelouch finds her to be an easy going target. "The 'Guilford'? Why would he put his service to a woman like Guinevere? What happened to Cornelia?"

"She disappeared after the Black Rebellion" Elie answered. "As for Guilford, he's only doing this out of pride. After Cornelia vanished after the battle for Japan, his title was close to becoming threatened. Guinevere vouched for him so you could say that he's repaying the debt that she owed to her"

"Hmm…" the dark lord laughed. "Yes… that sounds more like the Guilford I know. Always putting pride first before his own life. If that's the case then there's no doubt that they will reach the Tokyo Settlement in a few days time. Hmm… this makes things complicated. But enough about that. There are still some questions I want to ask you, Jeremiah"

"Yes, ask away your highness" the green haired knight nodded.

"How did you know the existence of Geass? If my suspicions were correct only the emperor and a few individuals of the OSI know of its power and its abilities"

"I uh…… you could say that it was only by chance my lord. (Hmm?) Back when I was kept prisoner in that tanker under Bartley's research team, I overheard a conversation. I was barely conscious at that time but I could make out what they were saying"

"Did you happen to get the faces of the talkers?"

"Uhh… unfortunately… no. I was placed in a gasmask when they were talking. Forgive me…"

"Hmm… so we're back at square one as usual" Lelouch looked to them. "I guess that situation will have to wait… for now let's just focus on getting out of this place"

"But my lord… are you sure that it's wise to leave the mercenaries here?"

"Don't worry" Lelouch reassured him. "I gave those men explicit orders to carry out. I have no doubt that they will carry it with absolute zeal"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And truth be told, the dark lord's will was being carried out unconsciously. With his powers alone only fools would dare try to challenge him. And so at the top of the tower, one of his evil deeds was now to be performed.

Two mercenary soldiers were patrolling the hallway that time drinking bottles of whiskey they scavenged from the bar. They did not seem a bit frightened at all and the moment for they knew they had the advantage over the enemy. Just as they arrived on the next intersection leading to the elevators they noticed a small group of their comrades talking to each other.

"Hey guys!" one of the patrols called out happily. "Wanna join us for a drink? There are some leftovers by the bar and plenty more for everyone"

The soldiers turned their eyes to him and it wasn't long until one of the patrols noticed something strange about these men. They seemed odd, like they were dead serious unlike most of them who took their job in such a carefree manner.

"What's the matter?" the other one spoke. "You guys look like you had some serious discussion" and indeed for they had strange red rings around their eyes.

"You…" the leader of the band pointed at them with a tone that sounded much like a person hypnotized. "You are not under the blessing of Zero…"

"Wha?"

"Primary mission number 1: Eliminate the remainder of the group who had not received his blessings"

"Hey, what do you think you're…" that was as far as the man could go when he was penetrated by a hail of bullets. His partner tried to make a run for it but he too was too slow to even make it half way towards the elevator.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the security room, a small group of the mercenaries were overlooking the security cameras as they were ordered to by their commander. All the while doing their duties, they soon became bored and decided to play a little game of cards.

"Hey, did you hear?" one of them stated to the cameras. "Zero's actually just a school boy"

"Yeah I heard" the other replied not caring the least. "Got a picture of his face right here. Man… who'd a thought?"

"Well it doesn't matter. As long as we get paid, I couldn't care less who Zero is"

"Yeah. Hey, maybe we can sell this info to the Britannians. You'd think they'd post a reward for this kind of stuff"

"They'll probably give a king's ransom. HAhahaha!" A few moments later, one of the hypnotized soldiers entered the room and gaze at the cameras around him. "Hmm? Oh hey Bull. What are you doing here? I thought you were with the boss"

"Primary mission number 2: Destroy all evidence of Zero's existence at the mall" with a quick motion of his hand he emptied his clip onto the camera screens and burned everyone in the room with a single hand grenade.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Primary mission number 3…" the captain of the mercenaries slid on his helmet as he rode on his Knightmare. "Sacrifice our lives on the enemy to buy time for his lordship to escape. Soldiers, charge!!!" in an abrupt battlecry from the front of the mall the whole company of the terrorist that attacked Matoir mall charged out and began firing onto the G-1 fortress not even caring if they live or die on that battle. Bullets flew all over and bodies piled up along the road, followed by a barrage of missiles.

The Britannian soldiers that were stationed there did not expect such an attack and were quickly routed to regroup along the defense lines. Their unmanned Knightmares were easy targets and the soldiers that were fleeing became sitting ducks to the mercs.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lelouch held the urge to laugh as he knew that his opponents were all probably fighting each other without even knowing why. "Now that the Britannians are focusing their attention on the attack force, they'll clear the area giving us the chance to escape without notice"

"Always planning so far ahead…" C2's figure appeared from the darkness, her green hair easily recognize by everyone. "You really don't skip anything, do you?"

"The moment I do is the time when I become senile" she mocked the idea of seeing Lelouch as an old man but somehow she couldn't picture it very well. Shrugging the thought off, the witch approached him with her usual expressionless face and quickly took out a small box from her pocket and handed it to him. "What's this?"

"The lens I promised you a year ago. I made a spare just in case. Oh and by the way, you dropped this on your way here" she then showed him the suitcase of money that Lelouch lost during the earlier stages of the attack. "I added some things in there as well" the prince opened his chess set suitcase and suddenly noticed several items in the box. A signal scrambler in which was attachable to any phone line, an earpiece communicator which was made for military personnel only and a pistol made entirely out of ceramic and bamboo which obviously can't be picked up on a metal detector.

"I see…… pretty useful. As for the lens… they're optical technology, meant to block UV visions but keep my sights unhindered. Do they work?"

"Don't try to probe for information" C2 warned him. "As you may already know, you're carrying a very special kind of lens. If your Geass grows to be more powerful than what I gave you then…"

"I understand…… then we'll just have to end this quickly" suddenly right after their conversation was done, the large service elevator began to operate, its doors slowly opening to greet them. But the person who was inside the elevator seemed to have surprised Lelouch a little bit. Long gold wheat like hair and aqua colored eyes and skin as soft as cotton. "You……?"

The woman inside noticed the presence of the prince and slowly bowed to him, her cape touching the floor. "Your majesty, Lelouch…" she spoke in a soft tone. "Monica Kruszewski, the Knight of Twelve and the third Knight of Zero… reporting prior to your orders" immediately the prince's grin widened even more evilly that before. With all of his finest pieces gathered in one spot, he felt like he could already topple the emperor down with just a simple gesture of his hands. But he restrained himself from doing so. For if he was to take action now with the limited resources he had he would be captured and killed for certain. But now… he knew it. He knew well that Britannia could fall. That their capital was ripe for the picking. But no. A single nation that controlled 1/3 of the world was not enough for him. It only thirst his hunger for power even more. The world was now his goal… and if he was going to change the world then he would first have to conquer it… and then… destroy it…


	11. The Return of Zero Pt 1

**Chapter 11: The Return of Zero (Part 1)**

**(Britannia) (Pendragon) (Ashford University)**

Rinnnnnggg…

That was the sound of the last school bell going off signaling to the students that class time was over. Most were overjoyed by the sound of a pleasurable weekend coming along but their cheers were all but silenced when their teachers announced some assignments for them to do. As most of the classes ended, Lelouch as well returned to his place at the student council building.

"Haaa…" he let out a yawn. "I'm glad the weekends are finally here. Another day of school and I'll probably go mad" he probably wasn't kidding either. The boy was so irritated with school that he may just skip it entirely.

"Yeah I agree" Rivalz nodded. "If there were six days of classes and one day of weekend, it'll probably be hell on earth itself. Brrr… just thinking about it makes my bone shiver"

"Oh come on now you two" Shirley whined at them. "You guys should take school more seriously. Rivalz, you may be good in sports, but you're falling behind in all the academics"

"That's because they're talking about things I can't even understand"

"Why don't you take Lelouch for an example?" Milly joked. "He may not be good with sports but he definitely excels in math and physics. Why… he can even figure out an equation just by looking at it. Oh and that reminds me. Lelouch, Coach Villetta called in. She told me that you're to stay after school to makeup for Thursday P.E. class"

"Ugh… not again" the boy groaned. "Can't they just leave me alone for once? I missed her class one time and this happens"

"That's because you keep skipping her class big brother" Rolo added as he worked on the papers assigned to him. "Oh and Ms. President, what are we planning for the school event? We have a whole week off for the month and the clubs are already preparing their own booths as well"

Milly quickly got into her thinking mode and began brainstorming her thoughts. "Hmm… well I was thinking we could have something different this time. We already had the dance party last time and biggest snowman contest too and not to mention the knitting vale which was a huge failure"

"Don't forget the boxing contest as well" Shirley added remembering the last event they had. "We had to put six students in the infirmary and seven more in the hospital because of that little incident. By putting the reward as: 'going on a date with you', you practically had half the school running on that contest. Even Rivalz went through the length to get in"

"But in the end, you couldn't even make it through the preliminary rounds" Lelouch said with a chuckle. "You got knocked out on the first punch. (Hey!) Oh don't whine about it. You did get into the Ginny World Record of shortest boxing match ever. 4 seconds if I remember correctly. And in the end, the winner of that contest was too badly beaten up and had to go to the hospital so the reward was invalid. Anyway, there won't be any kind of school festival if we don't get the budget balanced. If there's a single number missing, then we'll all be in deep trouble and the archery club will fire paper toilers again on the student council building like they did back during Halloween"

"Oh… don't remind me" Milly groaned. "It serves them right for TPing our building. I suspended their club activities for a whole month and cut off their budget by half" suddenly her cell phone began to ring. "Huh? A reminder?" she read the contents of the message to herself and once she was finished she let out a sigh. "Oh no…"

Lelouch of course noticed her distraught. "What's a matter? Did you forget something?"

"Oh it's nothing"

But Lelouch didn't buy it. Her acting may be good but now that he was Zero, nothing escapes his eyes. "Come on now Milly, what is it? Is it a family emergency?"

"No…" she sighed again but this time even louder. "It's just another one of those people who is attracted to my charms, that's all"

"Did your mother set you up on another blind date?" Shirley corrected. "That's the third one this month" as they looked back the gang could already see that Rivalz was taking the news pretty hard. But it wasn't anything new. Whenever Milly gets a new suitor to court her, he would immediately go into an instant depression mode which hampers his productivity.

"Yeah…" she admitted. "But it has been a lot less. Back when I was a noble my mother would arrange one person every day"

"Oh… that's right" Rivalz turned to Lelouch who remained with a blank stare. "Lelouch bought off your nobility title right?"

"That's correct. But as you can see my mother is persistent. She went through a lot of trouble to get me a date with a son of a nobleman so I can't really reject it"

"A long term investment" Lelouch stated out clearly making the others turn to him. "No offense Milly but what your mother is doing isn't very bright. If you were to marry a nobleman's son, only your title as nobles would be restored but in truth your family would only own a small patch of land. Even after passing away, you still won't be getting any of the profit either. The only ones who will ever be able to make use of all the properties would be your offspring and even that, there's a good chance that the inheritance may be passed on to another relative as well"

"Well… that's true" Rolo admitted. "But what do you suggest then, big brother?"

"Yeah, it's not like the president has much of a choice" Shirley agreed.

The boy cupped his hands together and kept his fingers warm with his breath. "Well… there is another option. I could opt my brother or myself to marry you. (Huh?)" the whole group starred at the boy in silence. Shirley who had been writing on a piece of paper stopped in the midst of her scribbling, Rolo flushed red on his cheeks and quickly lost track on his work, Rivalz grumbled even more mumbling about something that he stood no chance against Lelouch if it meant getting a girl and Milly, who was the star of the subject at hand nearly slipped off the table that she was holding herself on.

"W… wha!?" Milly nearly yelped as she blushed unconsciously to herself. But it didn't feel wrong or anything. It just felt like friends going out with friends…right? "What are you saying?"

"It's just another option really" Lelouch said it off casually like it was no big deal. "If you were to wed either me or Rolo, you'd be enjoying the company of the profit. I definitely won't be stopping you on your spending either. But it will be a problem when you decide on having children. It may prove difficult to even produce an heir" Milly immediately began to steam as thoughts of her and Lelouch in bed began rolling through her mind. She could already imagine a little Lulu and a little Milly junior running through the garden happily laughing at each other. "Oh no… I guess that idea won't work either" Lelouch said again which made everyone stop on their thinking. "Ever since I bought your land from you, I have been on bad terms with your mother. She'll never agree to such a plan and she might even force me to change my name"

The gang immediately face faulted to the floor as they sighed off in relief. "Big brother!/Lelouch!" they all yelled at him in unison.

But the boy simply returned an innocent face. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Yes!"

"Ahh man…" Rivalz whined again. "All this talking isn't getting us anywhere… and this paperwork is going to take us all day. I'm already down to my last leg here. If I have to come to school tomorrow just to get rid of these things, I'm gonna go nuts. (sigh) And thanks to that terrorist attack yesterday all the districts have gone to a temporary lockdown by order of the minister. Man… I wish there was something we could do"

"_An opportunity!"_ Lelouch smirked as he saw a hole in which he could use to get the OSI's attention off him. "I know, why don't you all come to Hollington tomorrow? (Huh?) Well since it's the weekends we might as well do something to relax, right? We can go to the pool at my house. I'll even have a room set up for all of you"

"What!?" Rivalz stated with glee. "Seriously!?"

"Of course. Besides, I still owe you for destroying your bike during the attack. I ordered the Madza Chevot imported from Area 2 to be delivered there as well. We can all take my private jets there"

"Alright! I'm in!"

"Count me in too!" Shirley agreed raising her hand up high. "What about you, Ms. President?"

Milly sighed again but saw no loss in this weekend off. "Very well. If everyone's going then count me in too!"

"Great!" Lelouch smiled at them. "I'll make the necessary preparations and…" but then Rolo's phone began to ring which caused a slight suspicion on everyone's mind. The boy never really had much friends and he didn't seem to be the type to interact with other people let alone have their cell number.

As the boy looked to his phone, his eyes widened slightly which didn't seem to escape his notice. "Um… excuse me. I need to answer this" he immediately left the room but not without earning a curious glare from his brother.

"Who was that?" Milly asked. "I didn't know that Rolo had anyone's number other that you Lelouch"

"He may have a girlfriend" Rivalz teased.

"Not a chance" Lelouch shook his thoughts away. "If Rolo was seeing someone, I would know. I have many contacts here in the school itself"

"Yeah Rivalz" Shirley agreed. "He's actually a lot more sensitive than his brother and not to mention that he's also quiet at some times. He has more chance of being bullied by someone than having a girlfriend. Eh…"

"You don't think that…… Rolo's being bullied… are you?"

Shirley gulped and quickly changed her tone. "No! No, of course not! I'm just saying what's more likely to happen"

"You're hard to understand sometimes, Shirley" the gang let out a small laugh which Lelouch seemed to follow in act, but his eyes constantly darts from his friends to the door in which Rolo just went through.

Once Rolo was sure that he was out of earshot from his brother or his friends he quickly answered the call at the same time looking at the areas around him. "Hello?"

"Rolo" it was Ms. Villetta's voice that answered.

"Coach Villetta?" the immediately changed his tone to a more confident yet cold one. "Yes… what is it?"

"Have you noticed any change in Lelouch's actions?"

"No, none at the moment" he answered back while turning his gaze to the student council meeting room. "He's just as normal as before even after the attack he seems to be calm about things, but that's just who he is. Has there been any anomalies?"

"We scoured through his room a few hours ago during class. So far he hasn't done anything or kept anything that would prove to be suspicious. Keep an eye on him"

"Understood… also… my brother appears to be moving back to Hollington this evening. We'll be making our trip there in a few hours"

**(Japan) (Tokyo Settlement) (Government capital)**

"Haaa…" Kallen yawned out again as she took her seat back at her Guren. It has been another unexciting day at the city. After another patrol around the ocean she began to think that the Britannians had finally left their country in peace. For a whole year she had been keeping her place as the Ace of the Black Knights and none had ever questioned her abilities at all. Her battle skills were absolutely unmatchable and not even the veterans of the first war had any disagreement with it. She was the best pilot Japan had to offer and Zero squad which only consisted of two Knightmares became popular even among the ranks of foreign nations.

"Is something wrong, Sergeant Major?" Chiba questioned as she contacted her superior through the com channels. "You sound rather depressed"

"It's nothing really. Just my school, that's all"

"Did something happen?"

"Yeah. Some of the clubs wanted me to become their idols and some of the companies I passed by asked if I could sponsor them. There's even a magazine group that wants me to in the cover of their latest issue"

"That's because you're popular, Major" Chiba chuckled. "The only Japanese ever to defeat a Knight of the Round in Knightmare combat. Thanks to you, some of the pilots are even using your skills as an inspiration to better themselves"

"Then why don't they ask Tohdoh to do it?" the captain of the Zero squad groaned. "I mean he's popular too isn't he? Why don't they use him instead of me?"

"The Colonel is a strict military soldier who isn't exactly a people person" Chiba answered as she thought of the man in question. "Now that the government system is back on track he's not easily interviewed unlike you who attend school on a daily basis"

"Haa… don't remind me. Even yesterday when I got home my whole house became rigged with surveillance cameras. It was a bother just to find them and track them all"

"Hahaha… well I guess that's the price for fame. No privacy allowed"

"Got that right" but then suddenly when they were conversing, another com channel entered through the open line. "Oh it's Ohgi. (pause) Hey there Ohgi. What are you doing on the com link? Shouldn't you be with Kaguya portraying for the first university graduates of the New Japan?" it has only been a year since Japan was rebuilt to its glory and now a batch of graduates were ready to take on the world.

The man nodded and sighed a bit at the end. "Actually I am. But the ceremony is taking place right now. Lady Kaguya and I are just waiting for the handing of the diplomas. She's talking with the dean right now so I'll be quick. I'm just here to give you the details of your next assignment"

Chiba quirked a brow for this as she thought that a commander like him shouldn't be going on to every soldier to give out their missions. Even if they were the Zero Squad it didn't change that they were still part of the Black Knights. "Shouldn't Headquarters be giving out missions to the soldiers commander?"

"Yeah they are, but right now we're shorthanded so they asked me to deliver missions to five different units. We've been getting a lot of new recruits but even so they don't really fit the bill of becoming intelligence officers. Back when Zero was around, Diethard would be the one handling these kinds of things. It's a shame that he went into hiding"

"Well what did you expect?" the second in command of the Zero Squad grunt. "The man practically worshipped Zero. It's no surprise seeing him in such a depressed state. I heard that Rakshata is taking care of him and he's doing some light work behind the scenes"

"Yeah well… I only wished things were a bit easier. Being a soldier is hard work. Anyway, let me brief you on your next assignment. You'll be moving to Osaka delivering a freighter load with Sakuradite to the area. Afterwards you'll do a routine patrol along the South China Sea which should take you about four hours to complete. Finally, you'll return to Tokyo to help with the new recruits and…"

Beep beep beep!

"Sorry Ohgi" Kallen apologized as another com channel opened up. To everyone's surprise it seemed to be a military channel that Tohdoh made and it was set on an emergency broadcast. "Huh? A silent emergency call?"

When they accepted the call, Tohdoh's face appeared on screen. "This is Lt. Colonel Kyoshiro Tohdoh calling out to all available forces! We have a code 1 emergency alert! I repeat, a code 1 emergency alert! Britannian fleet has been sighted on Japanese waters! (What!?) All Japanese military forces are to respond to this call as quickly as possible!"

"An invasion!?" Kallen awoke from her half sleeping state as she starred eyes widened on the screen. "Here!? Now!? The Britannians… they wouldn't!"

"This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!"

"Ohgi!"

"I got it too!" Ohgi gasped out still in shock. "It's a recording call from the Japanese Army. It was meant to be sent out the moment code 1 emergency order was given. I'm looking at this situation now and the whole army is moving all their troops to the area!"

"Give us the order to move out"

But then Kaguya's picture came into the slide. "Don't panic…" she stated calmly which shut all of them up. "If we allow ourselves to get disorganized we'll lose the battle. I already received the emergency call and have asked the military to do a discreet defense of Japan. (Lady Kaguya…) We all expected this day would come eventually and I've been preparing for this as well. I've already received word that Commander Tohdoh is making his way to the Kanagawa strut and mounting a three line defense along Shizuoka bay and Yamanashi district. I never thought we'd have to do this…… but from here on out, I am ordering Operation Shadow War"

"Shadow War…" Chiba muttered the name of the operation silently to herself. "A countermeasure operation in case Britannia should attack again"

"Yes" Kaguya nodded. "It's a safety measure. The public will not know of the battle unless it is absolutely necessary. We'll have to be quick and quiet. And so by my orders as the Prime Minister of Japan, I am hereby ordering the Black Knights to assist the regular army of Japan to repel these invaders"

"Yes ma'am!" all three saluted in unison.

"Kallen" Ohgi spoke in. "I'll be heading back to headquarters to direct our soldiers. You lead the main force of our Knightmares and contact Tohdoh as quick as you can"

"Roger!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And so almost immediately, the order of deployment was given out throughout the entire government capital. With the alarm sirens horning inside the building, ever staff, soldier and pilots took to their feet and head to where they were most needed.

"Attention all Black Knights!" the speaker sounded which all the original members recognized it as Minami, the head staff officer of the company. "This is a code 1 emergency alert! All Knightmare pilots report to your Gekkas! Air units are to be deployed immediately! Squad 1-15, report to the center lines. Infantry units stand by! Operation Shadow War is now in affect! Britannia has crossed over to Japanese territories, prepare to defend yourselves!"

"It's time…" Inoue muttered as she rode onto her Gekka unit. "Never thought it'd be so soon too… guess fate has its ways of surprising you" she powered on her frame and slowly turned to her unit who seemed to be ready just as she was. "This is Inoue of the 6th Squad. We're almost ready on our end. Where are our carriers?"

Yoshida too rode on his rather old Raikou along with the rest of his team and readied themselves for battle. "This is Captain Yoshida of the Raikou Asani. All legs report in"

"Leg four here, all systems are green"

"Leg two reporting. Ammo cartridge is loaded and extra packs are standing by"

"Leg three here, energy filler status is green. No anomalies detected"

"Good… alright, where's our carrier?"

Sugiyama was then next to ride on his Gekka. "Finally… a crack at the Britannians once again" but just as he was looking at his squad, he noticed Tamaki coming along as well with his unit. "Tamaki? You're pretty early today"

"Hey, who'd wanna miss a battle with the Britannians? I've been waiting to get my hands on them for some time now too"

Again the speaker spoke up. "This is head command. All Knightmares are to deploy immediately at Shizuoka and assist with the defense"

With all of the Black Knights assembled at the hanger area, the back hanger at the rear suddenly opened up revealing the Guren's face to the new recruits. The moment they caught sight of it they began whispering amongst themselves of how cool and powerful it looked. Many have only caught a glimpse of the frame itself or saw it through TV or newspaper but never had anyone been able to see it first hand since it was always kept at the deepest part of the capital. It was a special unit that only the most important people are allowed to see it or even get a chance to catch its specs.

"_Those damn Britannians…"_ the redhead girl gritted her teeth. _"This is the peace and freedom that Zero gave to us. He built it out of sweat and blood of his own body. We won't allow you to take it even if it means taking our lives…" _"This is Kallen Kouzuki…" Kallen muttered out softly to her speaker. "Black Knights, let's move out!

"HOOO!!!"

**(Royal 4****th**** fleet of Britannia flagship)**

Guinevere su Britannia smiled evilly at her seat as she watched the monitor where her fleet had attacked. She knew that Japan would one day lower its guard and thanks to her intelligence she was able to get them by surprise. Their defenses were poor but above average or so to speak. Only a few patrol ships stood in their way and small island patches used as firebases were nothing more but a sting to their superior numbers.

"Hmm… this is far better than I had anticipated" she grinned at the monitor again. "I can now see why Schneizel and Cornelia were so addicted to this game. It's so much fun knowing that you're already going to win. Isn't that right… Guilford?"

The once proud man known as Gilbert G.P. Guilford stood in attention and bowed shallowly to the princess along with his Glaston Knights. "Yes, your highness…"

Guinevere eyed the man carefully but decided to ignore his face for now as she raised a glass of wine to her lips. "I must say that I am surprised though Guilford. (Hmm?) Area 11 is where you last saw my sister, Cornelia, correct? Is that the reason why you joined me on this operation?"

"N… no of course not, your highness. I am simply here to repay the debt I owe you for saving my status" he replied almost too quickly for his own liking. "Thanks to you, I was able to keep my status as a Baron and continue to serve the empire as a knight"

"Is that so?" the girl questioned. "If you're worried of status so much, why did you reject the offer of becoming one of the Knights of the Round?" the knights in the room gasped at the mention of this. "I heard from my brother Odysseus that you rejected the offer of becoming the new Knight of Five…"

Guilford writhed at himself. "I… I didn't believe that I was worthy of becoming one of the emperor's personal knights your highness"

"Is it truly that… or are you just trying to stay because of your loyalty with Cornelia? (Geh…) But in any case… I must say that this is quite a bore. (Huh?) I wonder why Cornelia didn't take this action. The moment she makes a good mess of things she leaves others to clean up. How rude of that girl to leave without even informing us where she was going" the Glaston Knights had to bite their own tongues to prevent themselves from lashing out at her. "But nonetheless. If this battle continues on like this, it doesn't seem like we'll need your help after all"

"Your highness" the admiral saluted. "Our forces are all stationed. We can commence the attack at any time now"

"Very good" Guinevere then stood up from her seat and waved her hand in a dramatic way. "With this… I can finally clean our empire of these filths. They will pay for the humiliation they gave to us one year ago. All units, hear me! I, Guinevere su Britannia, first princess of Britannia hereby order you! Attack Japan! Destroy all of their defenses and reclaim this land in the name of our glorious emperor!"

"Yes, your highness!"

But while the rest of the fleet stormed through the defenses of the Japanese army, Guilford couldn't help but get a bad feeling from all of this. _"Attacking the country where all their forces are assembled was the right idea of wiping them out. Even it does mean breaking the Non-Aggression treaty with them we can easily disguise it as a ruse. It's a perfect opportunity to reclaim Area 11. But still… why do I get a feeling that something terrible is about to happen? Zero is gone so the Black Knights should be less affective than they're supposed to. Their new commander is also weak. The only two chances of victory they have is with Tohdoh and that Red Knightmare… the Devil's Right Hand"_

**(German Frontlines) (E.U. – Britannia War) (Britannian Pacific Fleet)**

"Prince Schneizel!" Kanon Maldini called out to his prince as he just received word from the western fronts. "It's Princess Guinevere! She's…"

"I know Kanon…" Schneizel waved it off. "She went to attack Japan, did she not?"

"Yes your highness. Do you wish me to patch a line to her fleet?"

"No need" he sighed. "If things progress smoothly for her, she can take the victory all to herself. The Non-Aggression pact will be null by then. Besides, she has lord Guilford with her so there's no need to worry"

"But won't she get in trouble my lord? I mean… what about the Black Kni--"

"What about them?" Schneizel questioned rather bitterly which seemed to startle some of the servants nearby. "Now that Zero is gone they're nothing more but a mere fighting force. Their new commander is also timid and indecisive. They're no longer a threat now so let's just leave them be and work with the problem at hand, shall we?"

"Y… yes my lord…"

But then suddenly, the Knight of Seven's face appeared on screen. "Prince Schneizel!" he beckoned. "I heard that the Britannian forces are attacking Japan! Is this true?"

The prince got even more irritated. He knew that the man would eventually call in but he was in no mood to give him the full detail. "Yes, it is" he answered calmly.

"Then cancel it! If they do that they'll…"

"Why does it bother you so much?" Schneizel cut him off. "You're no longer a Japanese yourself since you abandoned that title long ago. You're now the Knight of Seven, one of the Knights of the Round, a soldier loyal to his emperor alone. I have no say in your actions Suzaku… but I swear that I did not order it. It was a completely different order from the Britannian army under the royal command of my inept sister. Worry not. It will be dealt with sooner or later"

"Eh…… understood your highness"

With the monitor closed off Schneizel returned to his bored stance around his chair and toyed with a small chest set that he brought along with him. To Kanon's surprise neither set seemed to be complete as both the white and the black sides appear to be missing their kings. As he looked at the prince's hand he noticed that he was holding both pieces off like he was waiting for a player to come to his side.

"_Prince Schneizel… he's been acting rather indifferent ever since Zero's death"_ Kanon thought to himself. _"Out of everyone I know he seems to be the only person who caught his interest. I guess losing such an opponent was devastating for him. I guess the only way he could ever return to normal is to find a more challenging player. But… where in the world can we find such a man? From all the matches I've seen, Prince Schneizel is the winner of them all"_

**(Britannia) (Hollington) (The Lamperouge 'estate')**

The Lamperouge estate was something that people would call a perfectly yet overly done and well made mansion. It was as big as a small town sitting atop a hill overlooking a beach. Back when the Ashford ruled this estate it was a simple house for the master and his family and a small number of servants. But after it was taken over by Lelouch a year ago it was converted from a home to a village. Lelouch started out small by adding a small village to the side of the mansion to keep his servants comfy with a roof above their heads.

But later he began to think bigger and bigger things for his place. With the numbers of servants began increasing steadily he decided to add a recreational center in which his servants could hold celebrations of their own. Afterwards he added an educational facility to further their efficiency after that he decided to expand his mansion to the beach area where he built a docking port for all aquatic operations. But that alone didn't stop him. He wanted more and building new things became somewhat of a hobby for the landlord.

With the docks and road areas slowly improving trade around the land of Hollington, a private airport was added to the field which situated a few kilometers away from the main housing branch. It was also manned and powered by Lelouch's servants and often, civil and military planes would land there to use it for their own purposes. With the technology of FLOAT systems provided to his land he was now ten steps ahead of all the other companies out there in the homeland. To say the least, the airfield alone brought a lot of profit for the Lamperouge family making it a large money making business.

But why would Lelouch stop there? No, he didn't stop there.

After acquiring all the money and wealth he could get from trade and production centers from all across Britannia and its conquered Areas, the boy added a final touch to his mansion which topped it all. A 70 cubic meter pool length and width wide dabbed right between the park and his house squared right in the center of the estate. It was big enough to accommodate every servant in Lelouch's villa and him included. And there would still be more than enough space to play tag. If one would come here… they would probably call it a single patch of heaven on earth.

Lamperouge Estate airstrip.

Lelouch and Rolo rode the earlier flight back to their home that day through one of their private jets. Their friends would be coming along in the next flight because they still needed to pack up. Even after being nobles for awhile now, Rolo can't seem to get use to his brother's calmness. He surrounded himself with girls and women from slave trades from all around Britannia and assembled them here but yet he does nothing to them. In fact he even gave them a choice to return to their homeland and be reborn as a new person entirely. But to his surprise they all rejected his offer and decided to work for him instead. There were over 750 servants in the estate and 90 percent of them were women, which wasn't surprising since most of the Body Workers Rights (BWR) had to do with female genders alone. Rolo had then admitted on their last visit back home that their estate had become something of a personnel harem.

"Attention…" the captain of the jet spoke in which was obviously one of Lelouch's female picked pilots from the educational center. "Master Lelouch, Master Rolo, we will be landing on the Lamperouge Estate Airport in three minutes. We hope that we could accompany you again, my lord"

"And so do I Ms. Froline" Lelouch answered back playfully which earned him a childish squeal from the cockpit area. Rolo sighed at this.

After the plane had landed smoothly at the airstrip, the landlord and his brother were greeted by the arrival of a limousine. Waiting for them was the Ashford's old butler, George and on the sidelines, two guards and a driver bowed to them.

"Welcome back masters" he said out to them before opening the car door. "I hope your trip was soothing and educational"

"It's good to be back, George and yes… it was very educational indeed"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The trip to the mansion was about 20 minutes at best with the roads being empty most of the time. The only time of delay they had was when a shepherd was crossing the area with his sheep. The shepherd recognized Lelouch vehicle almost immediately as he was probably the only person in the whole land that ever owned a limo that expensive. After they had crossed, the shepherd bowed his head apologetically to the vehicle even though the windows itself were tinted.

Once the limo arrived at the parking lot, a row of powerful-stylish and expensive cars rowed into sight. Though Lelouch didn't have the time to drive them all himself he used them on occasional times and even had a few of them delivered to Ashford University for his own use for the automobile club to put on display.

"Hmm… it's been awhile now since I last came home" Lelouch said to no one in particular.

"Indeed. Two weeks if I am correct, my lord" the butler replied. "Will you be staying for the weekend sire?"

"Yes we are. Oh and can you prepare a few rooms for me? I invited some of my friends to come along"

"The usual batch, sir?"

"Yes. They'll be staying for the weekends. Have a room settled for them and some food ready as well. I have a good feeling that they'll be hungry when they arrive"

"Very well sir, I will go and make the necessary preparations"

"Oh and also…" Lelouch recalled a thought. "Have the new servants arrived? I had a four of them sent here yesterday"

"Yes sir" the butler nodded. "They arrived as you said. I gave them the usual offers to return to their homes with new identities but unexpectedly they all rejected it. They're now under the care of the village"

"I see…… their parents must've been killed then"

When they entered the main entrance of the house, the two brothers were immediately greeted by a line of maids in proper outfits waiting for him. "Welcome home, master!" they all said in unison.

Lelouch smiled back at all of them. If he was a perverted man then this place would've been his paradise a long time ago. "It's good to be back" he slowly took off his vest and handed his luggage to the servants lining up for him. After a brief gesture of a thank you note he dismissed them all back to their duties. He didn't bother touring the house since he already knew all the level of details down to the last inch. If there were any changes in staffing or security details his butler George would immediately follow in on the task and tell him about it.

But right when Lelouch was about to go to his room his phone suddenly began to ring. He worded a silent apology before answering it. "Yes?"

"Oh pardon me my lord" Lelouch's eyes slightly widened as he recognized the voice as Elie. "It's me again. I'm sorry I had to use your direct line and all but it seems like the grapes at the vineyards are rotting up again. We found some bugs loitering around the area but it's not like anything I've ever seen. I'm no anamologist but they seem to a lot more of them than usual. The farmers have been spreading out some sprays with the tractors but I don't think they'll hold off. They're all attacking the root of the place and if we don't do something, this place will go one way to heck. Can you swing by and give us some hints here, sir?"

"Hmm… I see" Lelouch groaned. "Harvest season came in fast today. Alright, I'll see to this new bug myself. Ready the tractors just in case. If today's harvest go bad we'll have to replant the whole earth again"

"Yes, my lord"

"_Excellent work Elie. You remembered all my code words carefully and memorized them all by heart in such a short time. I was right to pick you as my apprentice after all"_

Vineyards – Japan

Bugs – Britannian

Root – Capital

Farmers – Japanese Army / Black Knights

Tractors – Knightmares

He then closed his phone and sighed again. "Is something wrong, big brother?" Rolo asked out of the blue. "You looked rather tired"

But the boy kept his act up and continued playing the role of the master of the household and his brother. "Yeah, it looks like there's an early harvest of grapes this season but there are some insects making a mess of things. I'm going there right now to help out with it. George, have my private jet refueled and ready for me. It seems like I have some things to do still before I can relax this weekend"

"Yes, of course your lordship"

"Should I come with you?" Rolo volunteered.

"No. You stay here" Lelouch said innocently. "It shouldn't take more than a few hours and besides… we have some friends coming over. If I don't make it in time, you'll be responsible as the host. And also… you're still young… you shouldn't be worrying about these sorts of things at the moment"

"But I…"

"Relax. It's not like I'm going to war or anything. I'll see you in a bit" and with that he waved off towards the garage where he selected one of his fast stylish cars to take to the airport. Once he was away, Rolo squinted his eyes in suspicion as he took out his phone and speed dial a familiar number.

The other line rang for a few moments before finally being answered. "Hello? Lamperouge Estate Airport speaking, how may I help you?"

"Yes, this is Rolo Lamperouge"

"Uh… Your lordship…" the tone on the other line changed to a more servant like voice. "How may I aid you?"

"I need the experimental craft that my brother has been working on. Can you prep it on the airstrip for launch?"

"B… but my lord" the voice on the other line gasped. "That craft is still in experimental stages. It hasn't even been tested yet. And also…… Lord Lelouch made it clear that no one is to pilot it without his permission alone"

"I am his brother" Rolo stated out plainly. "He'll understand… besides… I'll bring it back before his notice that it's gone"

"Uh…… understood my lord. It'll be ready when you get here"

**(Japan) (Tokyo's first line of defense) (Mikura Jima Island)**

"Damn it all!" Asahina cursed under his breath as he laid suppressing fire on a small wave of helicopters coming their way. "The firebase are barely up and running and they're hitting us now of all times!"

"Asahina, we need to withdraw" Urabe contacted him through the com channels. He was facing a large group of tanks and Sutherlands on his side of the manmade island but was suffering heavy loses due to the enemy warships that had their cannons aimed at them. "We're taking too many casualties and the last of our patrol ships went dead. If we stay any longer we'll be sitting ducks to those cannons!"

"I know that! But… if we retreat now the only thing standing between them and Tokyo are a few lines of Jimmus"

"Don't worry about it. Senba and Lt. Colonel Tohdoh have already made their way to the firebase and are overseeing its construction. We'll regroup at the second line and join with the Black Knights. If we can hold the Britannians at the second line we can bomb them with our artilleries. Right now we have to focus on getting out of here. Damn. I lost another one! Mori, get up on position and lay suppressing fire on them"

"Captain Urabe!" one of the soldiers called in through another channel. "Enemy rockets incoming! 12 seconds!"

"Darn! All units fall back! Fall back to the second defense line quickly!"

"Damn it" Asahina fired another barrage and destroyed another Sutherland before ordering the retreat. "Ok we're clear. Go!"

**(Japan's forward HQ) (Izu Oshima Island)**

Tohdoh and Senba had arrived not long ago at the firebase in which was to be the main defense against all kind of invasion on both sea and air for Tokyo. Due to their lack of manpower they had to rely on such bases to cover a whole province so while the invaders were busy dealing with that they could muster up troops to organize a defense force. But the base here was still far from completion and its weapon systems were barely in place to be active.

As the Colonel starred at the monitor in front of him, he saw the first line of defense crumble against the Britannian fleet. He gritted his teeth and sighed for a moment.

"They've broken through the first line" Senba stated out the obvious. "Asahina and Urabe will be joining up with the Black Knights under Kallen Kouzuki's command"

"But they won't have the firepower or the equipments to counter against those cannons. All they can do now is take cover behind those rocky areas and fire from a distance. What's the status of our fleet?"

"They're three hours away but they may be delayed" Senba answered. "From our last contact they were engaging with Britannian warships"

"That must be their rear guard force. If that's the case then they'll never make it in time. We need at least six hours to get the weapon systems online. If the second defense line is broken the base will become useless and we'll have no choice but to declare a full scale war with Britannia. (Groan) Deploy our reserve forces at the area. I'll head there myself to take command"

"Sir!?"

"Senba, I'm leaving you in charge of the construction. I'll try to buy as much time as I can against the enemy"

"Y… yes commander. I won't fail you"

"I know you won't" as the commander left the tent he quickly called attention to the Knightmare pilots. "Alright everyone, listen up!" the men stood in attention and awaited his command. "Our enemy will be coming down on us any moment! Let's go and greet them!"

"Hooo!!"

**(Black Knight safe house)**

"Haa…" that was the sound of Diethard Reid sighing as he returned to his safe house at the Shinjuku ghetto that afternoon. It was now like this for him. Ever since the death of Zero he had lost his biggest scoop and his purpose in life. The man worshipped Zero like a god and followed him to the bitter end. He thought that the masked man would lead the world into a new era and Japan became the foundation of his kingdom. At right when he was at the pinnacle of the moment, his life came to an abrupt end when a boy who had no purpose whatsoever killed him right in front of all the Black Knights. It was like he snuffed out the world's only hope for a chaotic start.

At first he thought about going back to the homeland but now that his face was on the wanted list of Britannia he had to make himself scarce and lose the heat that he accumulated. He was now shunned by his country and the place that he resided was of no difference. He was a man on the run with nothing to live for but to survive.

As he switched on the television of his run down house he saw Lady Kaguya giving out a speech to the new graduates of Japan. It was a boring ceremony nothing that he would want to cover, but now was not the time to be picky. With peace coming to Japan the only news he could get around here was from his television and from Rakshata who comes by once in awhile to give his salary.

"Nothing good ever comes in an era of peace" he muted the TV and slowly tilted his head to his closet. His Black Knight uniform still hung clearly overhead and his letter of resignation hidden carefully in its pockets. "Tch… the Black Knights are now nothing more but a regular force. It's too boring here without him. Heh… how I wish you would come back to life already, Zero"

Suddenly his cell phone began to ring. In this time there were only two people who ever called his phone before. It was either Ohgi who rarely called at times and Rakshata who checks up on him and gives him his assignment in which he does to earn his next pay. "Yeah, it's me" he answered up.

"You seem to be doing pretty low for yourself… Diethard…" obviously the voice was mixed with some sort of scrambler device that made it unrecognizable.

"Who is this?" the man sharpened his eyes as he replied. "How did you get this number?"

"What about it Diethard? Shall I grant your wish?"

"My wish?"

"I will return…… but in order to do that… I will need your assistance"

And when he realized who the speaker was, Diethard's heart suddenly stopped for a split second in that conversation. "No… it… it can't be. Z… Zer--"

"If you wish my return. Then do as I instructed in the envelope I gave you"

"Envelope?" immediately a knock came on the door and slowly an envelope was slid under the opening below it. Diethard was curious, wondering who the sender was. Was it a follower of Zero or was it Zero himself. When he opened it, he saw a letter inside along with a badge that was given only to the highest members of the Black Knights. This was a sure guarantee to grant him access to the government capital. Inside the letter were instructions and orders in which he was to follow.

"The orders in there are clear. If you wish to make it into world history… then take the initiative of your own life"

Click…

"H… hey wait a minute!" but the line was already cut for him. As he tried to call back the number he soon realized that it was from a payphone. "Zero…… can it really be?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In a small destroyed warehouse at the outskirts of the Shinjuku ghetto overlooking the ocean, Elie and Jeremiah arrived on scene where their Knightmares were prepared. "Is everything ready?" C2 questioned as she looked at the two knights. They both nodded and with that confirmed, C2 quickly brought up a small box to the front. "Good. Then I guess we only need this to get ready" the moment she opened it, the two of them gasped at the sight of the treasure within.

Inside, was the mask of Zero now fully repaired and added with a voice changer to mimic Zero's voice himself. "It's… the mask of Zero…"

"The real mask" she corrected him. "I stole it from the government capital a few hours ago. They were so busy with the battle they didn't even bother to protect a small trinket like this" she then placed out a cape from her rear and hover it around her neck. "I'll move into the position. I'll be acting as Zero for the show. When this is over… the resurrection of Zero… begins"

"All hail… Zero…" Elie and Jeremiah smirked in unison. "All hail… the demon…"


	12. The Return of Zero Pt 2

**Chapter 12: The Return of Zero (Part 2)**

**(Japan) (Tokyo's second line of defense) (Toshima Island)**

The soldiers of Japan were not having an easy time with their defensive operations at all near the outskirts of Tokyo. Even with the aid of the Black Knights and the arrival of Tohdoh and Kallen, they've put up a small resistance at best. Their numbers were small and most of their equipments were outdated compared to the technological superiority of Britannia. As most of their defense fleet sunk into the bottom of the bay, more and more Britannian forces appeared on the horizon covering the whole beach with their thick armors and heavy weaponry.

"Damn it!" Kallen cursed under her breath as she defended herself using her Radiant Wave Surger to create a shield around her Guren. She had lost nearly 30 percent of her forces and the command structure around the area was falling apart. Ohgi did his best to move his troops around to outflank them but they just didn't have enough firepower to do so. "This is insane! How many of them are there!?"

"Sergeant Major, please pull back!" Chiba requested as she saw her commander charging head on towards an enemy cruiser. "You're too far out. If you don't match pace with the troops we'll be isolated and surrounded"

"I know that!" she groaned out before crushing the ship's main cannon with her gauntlet.

"Please don't try to do anything rash. All we need to do is hold the enemy force a little bit longer. If we can get the firebase online, we'll crush them in one blow"

"Understood" Kallen slowly pulled out from the area and along the way punched through another Gloucester. "How are our rear forces doing?"

"Inoue and Tamaki have taken the rear and are setting up defensive barriers as we speak" Chiba muttered out before spotting two enemy PT boats crossing their line. With a wave of her gun she hailed them with a barrage of bullets and annihilated them from the face of the earth. "Sugiyama have taken the left flank and are holding off the enemy's air force but that could change at any time now. Their numbers are growing by the minute and whatever was left of the Japanese Defense Force is concentrating on regrouping. Urabe and Asahina are there as well along with Colonel Todhoh. Captain Senba is overseeing the construction of the firebase"

"Not much of a reunion isn't it" Kallen humored. "In any case we still need to stop them. Have the sixth unit join up with Yoshida and protect him and have our aerial troops coordinate with the artillery spotters"

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Yoshida sat patiently in his Raikou that time starring at the screen in front of him. The Britannians sure outnumber them that much was obvious and now they even have those next generation Knightmares to boot as well. They were superior in almost every way but of course that wasn't going to let him lose hope for victory.

"Captain…" the crew member spoke up. "Enemy Knightmares, three of them coming through the eastern passage. Coordinates have been set"

"Understood. Prepare the Raikou. Load up the gun"

"Gun loaded sir! Voltage and energy filler status, nominal!"

"Right then! Super Electro Magnetic Shrapnel Cannon… FIRE!" and with a single shot, all three amphibious Sutherlands were crushed under the weight of the sheer firepower of the Glasgow Linear Cannon. "Yes! We got them!"

"Emergency alert!" called the other crew. "Enemy units are breaking through canal 4 and 5! Seven enemy Knightmares have crushed the Katana Company!"

"What!?" Yoshida gasped. "Load the Raikou! Prepare for multiple shots!"

"But sir… the cooling vent can't take that kind of pressure!"

"Forget it! We've dedicated our lives to protect Tokyo at all cost! I don't care if it destroys the gun! We've been ordered to defend this area to our last breath! Load the gun! (Y… yes sir) Target canal four and… FIRE!"

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"Tamaki, are the blockades set?" Inoue looked back as she saw Tamaki's squad setting up the improvised sea walls. It was meant to prevent ships from entering the port but since it was made up at such a short time they had little resources to put them all together.

"We're almost done on this end" he replied. "But man… why do I have to be stuck at the rear? Don't we have mechanics to do these kind of things? I'd rather be out there in fighting"

"You know why. It's because we're short handed at the moment. Besides, the battle isn't going so well. So far Kallen and Tohdoh have been hitting the enemy with guerilla tactics. We don't have the firepower to take them out just yet and we need to prevent them from entering our territory"

"And you think these heaps of junk will actually stop them?"

"It's worth a shot. Yoshida will fall back here and use his Raikou to prevent the enemy from getting further"

"Yeah yeah, I know…" but then suddenly Tamaki's radar began to pick something feint. "Hey… what the hell is that? Is… is that?"

When Inoue saw the blip on her radar her eyes immediately widened. "Torpedoes!? Everyone, get away from there, quickly!" but it was too late. The Gekka that was reinforcing the wall quickly ejected on the first impact when his legs were destroyed upon the blast. After a hole was made through the sea-wall five Portman Knightmare frames appeared from the bay of the island, and began attacking the rear. "A surprise attack!"

"Damn it all! My wall! I took a whole hour to build that!" Tamaki yelled out. A few minutes later, another two squads of Portmans appeared out of the sea and with haste they began firing onto the Black Knights.

"Everyone, try and break through their ranks!" Inoue ordered. "We can't allow them to surround the main force! If they take this area our escape route will be cut off!"

"Roger that! Let's give it to'em!"

But the commander of the surprise attack didn't seem all that frightened by the presence of the Black Knights at all. Even knowing of their previous reputation of defeating Cornelia back during the Black Rebellion, they knew that without Zero they were nothing more but an organized group of soldiers with fancy colors. If Zero were alive, they would've been shaking in their boots just by the sight of a Black Knight soldier.

**(Royal 4****th**** fleet of Britannia flagship)**

Guinevere grinned evilly again as she watched the monitor. She sipped a taste of her wine and watched as battles from battles turned favorably to her side. The war was progressing well and who would've thought that a little funding to the army would be all that was needed to get the result she desired.

"Princess" the admiral called out. "Our forces have broken through the enemy's center line"

"Good. Very good. Now crush their base of operation and progress forward. Once our flag rises above their capital, these filth will once again learn to fear the Britannian once more. Hehehehe…"

"Yes, of course, your highness"

"My lady, forgive my intrusion" Guilford stated. "But charging straight into their base may not be the most logical choice. (Hmm?) We may have outnumbered the enemy with our numbers and technology but we have to remember that we're fighting the remnants of the Black Knights and the Japanese army"

"You worry too much, lord Guilford" the admiral laughed. "Zero is long dead now and those who imitated his name haven't lasted any longer than a few weeks of fighting. We've unmasked Zero so many times already it's hard to tell who's the real one anymore and without him, the Black Knights are nothing more but rabbles"

"But still, we can't allow ourselves to get careless" his warning however seemed to have fallen onto deaf ears.

"Worry not, Guilford" Guinevere smirked. "As long as we achieve victory here then any remaining resistance waiting in Area 11… will soon be finished"

**(Tokyo) (Government capital) (Black Knight's Command center)**

Ohgi was darting his eyes left and right as he watched the map that overviewed the battlefield at the second defense line of Tokyo. He was able to keep the news of the battle from spreading but it didn't seem like Britannia was going to let them keep it silent for long. If Operation Shadow War turns to be a failure then Japan will have to cross the path of war again and that alone will lead to another chaotic era for the country.

As more and more of his units' signal disappear from the map it on made signs that his battle plan had been crippled down to the last. The Black Knights had been outmaneuvered and outmatched and this battle was no different.

"Commander Ohgi! The Katana company has been wiped out!"

"Sugiyama's group are withdrawing back to base and regrouping with the Japanese army to mount a final defense stand!"

"Damn it!" the man slammed his fist to the table. "This is impossible! How did the Britannians slip through our defenses!?"

"Portland Knightmares have snuck in through our barricades! Captain Inoue and Tamaki are holding them back!"

"Ohgi!" Minami called out. "Kallen's unit is holding off the main force with our reserve unit but they won't be able to stand against them for much longer!"

"Then it's over. Our defense line has crumbled and our base will be isolated if this goes on" he sighed out before ordering the others. "Tell the remaining troops to fall back. We'll have to draw in the battle line and reform our ranks with the others. Have Kallen hold them out just a bit longer and have Yoshida fall back. Once they've regrouped we can hold another ground at Shikine Jima"

"Yes sir!" but then another line suddenly came into the picture.

"Commander Ohgi! This is base patrol! We've got a situation!"

"What is it?"

"The mask! Zero's mask has been stolen sir!"

"What!?"

"Zero's mask?" Minami raised his brow in question. "Are the Britannians trying to demoralize us by doing such a thievish act?"

"What should we do sir?"

"We don't have time for this right now!" Ohgi snapped. "We're facing an invasion here! We don't have the resources to go looking for some silly trinket!"

"Y… yes sir"

Once the screen was off the commander quickly turned to his men. "Continue the retreat order! We got no time to lose! Tell everyone to fall back and regroup. The Mikura Island is lost! It'll take a miracle for us to win this battle with these odds"

But before they could comply with his orders, another voice suddenly perked behind which dragged all of their attention to the door. "If a miracle is what you ask for then a miracle it shall be, Ohgi…"

"Diethard?" Ohgi muttered his name in surprise of the man's sudden appearance. "What are you…?"

"Sorry I'm late" the media man replied not looking a bit fazed at all. "I had to shave off my depressed beard this morning" he then slowly approach his usual table near the front of the command center but noticed a youngster in his way. "I believe you're in my seat…"

"Ah… uh… yes sir…" The boy in the seat quickly rushed off and handed him the earphones.

Once the man was on his seat he quickly opened up a channel with the fixed frequency that was almost impossible to trace. _"Alright… let's see if you're the real deal"_ once the line was answered, a fuzzy figure appeared on screen. "There… it's done"

"Very good…… Diethard…" the voice on the other line spoke. "Kaname Ohgi… how good it is to see you again. Alive and well too…"

"Who is this?"

"Your savior and your miracle worker" was his answer. "You wish to drive the Britannians away and I desire to defeat them. It must be fate that our goals are intertwined with one another once again. (Huh?) Therefore I shall give you a chance of victory. Turn over command of the Black Knights… to me…"

"What!?" the man stood from his seat. "Are you crazy!? Why should I even do anything to someone I just met!? Who are you!?"

"It would be wise not to provoke him, Ohgi" Diethard warned him through a gaze. "Instead, I would recommend following him. Like you said… it would take a miracle to win this battle"

"But…"

"Ohgi…" the voice on the other land spoke again with a more coherent tone. "If you wish to save your friends from death…… then follow my orders. You have no other choice for their path of retreat has already been cut off. (What!?)" when Ohgi looked back at the map he noticed that the last of the ships that was stationed on their side had already sunk. "I am their only hope now and if you do not act now… then their deaths will be your hands…"

"Geh…"

"Ohgi…" Minami muttered as his thoughts worried on to his friends who were on the battlefield.

With only one option left to go the deputy command quickly gritted his teeth as he barked out to the voice. "Fine then! But you must promise to get them out of there!"

"Of course…" the soldiers in the command center could see the figure at the back of the hazy lines smirk as his plan came to act. "I am one who loves to grant wishes after all. I never fail in my work. (pause) Diethard…"

"Yes, understood" the man then quickly insert a disc which contained the details of his strategy. "I'm uploading the program now. I'm transmitting the battle plan to all remaining forces"

"Good…… and with this… victory is within my grasp"

**(Toshima Island)**

Kallen and all the original members of the Black Knights (except for Ohgi and Minami) and Tohdoh with his three holy swords were pinned in a small encampment right near the edge of Toshima Island. The last of their escape ships were sunk by the enemy cruiser that broke through their line of defense. They could try to make it to the forward HQ by driving on their amphibious foot upgrades but that would only consume a lot of energy which they were already scarce. So in an attempt to hold off the Britannians one last time, they all decided to dig in at the center to fortify themselves against the artillery.

"Ghhhrggg…" Tohdoh gritted his teeth as he sliced his blade onto another enemy Knightmare that foolishly tried to cut through their thick formation. "Kill one and ten more comes to take its place. The Britannian army sure is frightening"

"Lt. Colonel" Senba called in.

"Senba, what's the status of the firebase?"

"We're still under construction and everything is on schedule. What's the situation at the front?"

"Not good. Our reserve forces are all but annihilated and whatever was left of our air power had been forced back. We're now trapped here on the island"

"I'll send my guard units to back you up!"

"NO!" Kyoshiro barked. "If we lose the base we'll be done for. The very least we'll have to hold them on for a few more hours. Kouzuki, can you break through their lines?"

"I'm trying" the girl replied as she used her Radiant Wave Surger to destroy another enemy Knightmare. "But the warships out there have medium ranged weapons. If I go out there, I'll be a sitting duck. But I don't think they can fire their long ranged cannons to our base. As long as Yoshida has clear path of their ships they won't try to make a move on us"

"But at the same time we can't move on them" Chiba added. "We may as well put this battle as a stalemate"

"Then we'll hold position here" Tohdoh nodded with a long hearty sigh. "Asahina, you take the right flank. Urabe, take the left flank. (Sir!) The Black Knights and I will hold onto the center. No matter what the cost, we can't allow them to get pass us. Defend Toshima Island!"

"Understood" but just when Kallen was about to go on her defensive position she quickly received a transmission from HQ. "Ohgi, we're a little busy right now. Can't really talk at the moment" but she later realized that it wasn't a transmission but an open channel to all. "Huh? What's this? Program updating? Chiba, are you getting this?"

"Yes. It seems like all Black Knight forces are receiving the same data. It's some sort of upgrade program"

There were a bunch of popup-blocks that appeared on the CPU screen and all of it was moving too fast for Kallen to understand what they even were. She had seen a few of them before when she saw Rakshata updating her computer schematics but she never really understood all of the details that were given. Once the program was finished with its reboot… a sign of Q-1 appeared on her screen.

"What the…… Q-1?" Kallen raised a brow puzzled of such a coincidence. "But how…?"

"Q-1…" came a voice on the com channel.

"Huh? Who is this?"

"Follow the path I am giving you" he said plainly, ignoring the question altogether. "The grounds around the path are obstructed so the warships can't use their cannons against you. The Zero Squad will stay on that position until further orders"

"Who is this!? Identify yourself and how the hell do you know this code!?"

"It doesn't matter now!" he snapped. "If you want to live to see another day you will follow my orders. Those who wish to die can go right ahead and stay where you are" the com channel that was used to be filled with the voices of the Black Knight pilots were now silent and eerie, like they didn't even have any objections whatsoever to the voice. "Very good. So now then…… all Black Knights, prepare for battle! The Zero Squad will move in on the route prepared for them as ordered"

"Roger…" Kallen was reluctant at first but found that she had no choice in the matter. It was either follow him to a small chance of survival… or die like rats held up in a hole. After crisscrossing through a small pathway they made it to a small gap in the Britannians defenses. "Alright, we're in position, what now?"

"Hold position there. In fifteen seconds, my air support unit will mount down and throw a hail of smoke grenades at the area. Once that happens, Squad 6 and 7 are to charge in and destroy the forward cruiser that threatens the base"

"Arghh! This guy is out of his mind!" Tamaki's voice broke in. "You expect us to come through that alive?"

"Your lives are of little concern to me" the stranger's voice replied which seemed to have silenced the man. "Yoshida, fire the Raikou at the coordinates I'm sending you. Sugiyama, take command of the first wave. Inoue will act as support. Get ready…"

As the whole company looked up from their positions they noticed two Black Sutherlands atop the sky with FLOAT systems on their back. One had a riot gun and the other had a cannon loaded with strange smoke shells which could be easily identified with its blue blunt tip.

"This looks like the spot Jeremiah" Elie said to his partner. "And it looks like his majesty was right. The Japanese are taking quite a beating"

"Indeed" Orange-boy nodded in agreement to his compatriot. "They've shown great skill by forcing his majesty to sully his hands with such menial tasks. Prepare to fire chaff grenades. Once we have the area smoked we are to assist the Black Knights in repelling the invaders"

"Do we capture the princess too?"

"No, his majesty stated that she was to be kept unharmed. If she was hurt the Britannian would state it as an international incident. Scarring her a bit may do the trick"

"Roger. But I doubt their royal guards will make it any easy for us"

And once they were in position above the skies the two Sutherlands quickly fired a barrage of smoke grenades onto the beach area where they covered the sensors of the enemy fleet. In mere moments after the smoke was thick enough the Black Knights began moving into the fray not knowing what they were to expect on the other side.

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Of course, the Britannians that laid siege to the enemy base were also confused. They did not expect the Japanese army to show such an intense resistance after such defeat. They thought that with their reinforcements cut off and their numbers dwindled they would turn down their weapons and surrender. But they were wrong about that. Instead they became even more powerful… and when the chaff smoke blocked the sights of the cannons a small group of Gekkas and Jimmus (Burais) appeared from the clouds catching them by complete surprise. The Britannian officer who was stationed there was shocked too and was unable to do anything when his Knightmare was sliced in half by a saw blade.

"Damn Elevens!" one of the Gloucester pilots barked out just before he was hit by a barrage of bullets. "Gahh!!"

"All units, reform your ranks!" the commander ordered. "Fire at the clouds! You may as well hit something!"

"Yes, my lord!" the Britannian armored division did just that and quickly fired blindly at the dust clouds.

And right when they were on a shooting spree, two black Sutherlands came from above and with just one passing the eliminated the commanders who were ordering the troops. "What the!?" the Britannian soldier looked back in shock. "An air raid? The Black Knights still have air power!?" but he was unable to get an answer when the Gekkas suddenly showed up from the smoke and cut through their lines. "AGHHH!!" within seconds, what was supposedly a near impenetrable defense formation was destroyed.

"We did it!" Inoue said with glee. "We broke their formation!"

"I knew we could trust that guy" Tamaki stated, contradicting his previous statement.

But then the voice cut in their small victory against the Britannian. "It's not over yet. Vanguard unit will be coming any minute now followed by their main fleet. P-4 and P-5 get to your assigned points and await instructions. R-2, fire at the incoming Knightmares with the coordinates I sent you"

"Roger" immediately the Raikou charged up its linear cannon and fired onto the platoon of Sutherlands crossing through the gap. With three shots, the whole unit was vaporized into the waters.

"B-8, fire your missiles 60 degrees angle towards the sky" the Burai unit complied and fired all of its arsenal to the sky, in a few seconds after they were launched they slammed onto the oncoming cruiser that tried to sneak pass the smoke. "N group, continue your air barrage onto the fleet"

"Yes sir!" Elie and Jeremiah said in unison before raining bullets onto the unlucky ship that just happened to be in the way.

"B-7, aim to your left at the center hull of the battleship"

"Sir!" the soldier complied and fired away a few bullets and within seconds the Sakuradite power core went critical and shut down on its own.

**(4****th**** Royal fleet of Britannia flagship)**

Back inside the Britannian fleet, the command center was suffering a major setback over their troops. Ever since the Japan counterattack began, they had been losing every move they could possibly do. Inside the bridge, the com officers were having a fit just trying to report everything to their high chain of command.

"Admiral! Tao's fleet has suffered major casualties and is pulling back!"

"Sir Grande and Sir Rem have ejected from their Knightmares! Our frontline is crumbling!"

"The troops on east flank around the island have been forced back by heavy resistance!"

"This isn't good. If this keeps up, our entire vanguard will be surrounded and destroyed. Send in the reserve force!"

"We already did and they've lost half their unit!"

"Change IFF codes! They're intercepting our transmission! They have to be!"

"We already did sir! Six times!"

"Then do it again!"

"This is impossible!" the admiral spoke out in disbelief. "How could the Japanese army recover so quickly? We had them on the wall and now they're fighting back with such power!"

"It's not the Japanese army sir!" one of the officers corrected. "From the scattered reports we're getting, our troops believe that it's… the Black Knights!"

"The Black Knights?" Guilford raised a brow in question. "So they still have some fighting strength left. Even without Zero they've solidified their reputation with this battle. How many of the enemies are there?"

"We've confirmed the enemy numbers. They've reported only four Knightmare squads"

"Only four?" the man gasped. "Is the Guren Mk II with them?"

"No sir. There's no sign of it anywhere"

"They're saving it for the major blow" Guilford considered the options for a moment before turning to the princess. "Your highness let us withdraw for now. If we regroup from here we can coordinate another attack on Tokyo bay"

"Nonsense!" she snapped back with such adrenaline that she crushed her wine glass into pieces. "Have our main force strike them now and crush the Black Knights! They've mock the name of the crown a time too many! Guilford, you'll go along with them with the Glaston Knights as air support! If we don't hurry, they'll finish that base and I'll have to return to the homeland in shame!"

"Y…… yes… your highness"

**(Toshima Island)**

"Gwaahhh!!" another Sutherland pilot ejected from his Knightmare as he found himself surrounded on all sides by the Black Knights. The battle had shifted greatly for Japan and their limited resources were put into the most effective use ever.

"Keep pushing forward!" Inoue yelled out to them. "We got them on the run! Keep this up and we'll wipe them all in one blow!"

"Yeah! Let's kick their butts all the way back to Britannia!" Tamaki added firing another barrage of his weapon. But just as he was on his killing spree, he suddenly noticed a large army appearing on the horizon. "W… whoa… that's…!"

"It's their main force!" Sugiyama yelled out. "Everyone, reform the line and hold position around the fog. Their cannons will be useless as long as we stay inside!"

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At the top of the battlefield, Elie and Jeremiah could only grin as the enemy's main force slowly approached the bay of the island. Everything was going according to their master's plan and they had to admit that it went smoothly as silk itself.

"Enemy's main force moving in on the island" Elie spoke to his communicator. "Master, it's just as you expected… they also appear to have air support"

"Hmph…" Lelouch grunted on the other line. "Just what you'd expect from an untrained collective military force, attack with all their might. Not a single trace of skill nor strategy. Such a cheap tactic"

"So what do you wish us to do my lord?"

"Continue the plan as necessary" was the dark lord's answer. "Jeremiah, head for the rendezvous point and join up with C2. Have everything prepared for the signal to be broadcast. (Yes, your majesty) Elie, continue with your support with the Black Knights"

"Of course… my master" the boy smirked under his lips as he watch his partner part off into the other direction. "See you in a bit Jeremy"

"Same to you too" Jeremiah replied holding the same smirk. "And try not to die before I arrive. It'll be a bother to find a replacement for you"

"I'll take that as a compliment"

"Elie, you ready?" Lelouch cut in.

"Yes my master. The Britannians are spreading across the battlefield into a wide range formation just as you predicted. We'd better hurry though. The chaff smoke will be disappearing in a few minutes. Once it blows off, the Black Knights will be sitting ducks for those cannons"

"I understand…" Lelouch then switched on another channel revealing the face of Monica, the Knight of Twelve. "Monica, how long until you get to your position?"

"I've just arrive, my lord…" she replied obediently. "The tanker is right where you thought it was. The systems are still operating at nominal capacity. It seems the Japanese never realize about the hydro system even till now"

"Then this battle is ours… though that hydro powered tanker would've been much more use to us in working condition, I guess it can't be helped"

"Hey you there!" Inoue's voice cut in. "What the hell are we supposed to do now? The Britannians are closing in on us and we've lost half of our units!"

Lelouch sighed at this. The people of this world were always so panicky. "There's no more point in defending that area" he replied holding his grin together. "You've wiped out their entire vanguard force but their main force will be three times larger than what you fought. Retreat to the base and await further orders but don't turn your backs to the enemy. The Raikou and the Zero Squad will stay in position"

"But if we withdraw from here, they'll take over the entire bay! We can still fight them!"

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"If you wish to rush to your deaths, I won't stop you" the stranger's voice returned with an almost daring tone. "But… if you wish to enjoy the benefits of victory… then I suggest that you follow my orders. Withdraw from there slowly and carefully. If you go too fast they'll know we're up to something. Sugiyama, will go first and then Tamaki's unit. Inoue will follow up covering your retreat"

"Grr… fine…"

And with the voice's orders, the Black Knights slowly withdrew from the area, slowly and steadily. After a few minutes had passed by, the main army of the Britannian force soon came to light. To his truth, their numbers far outmatched than the one they fought earlier. There were more Sutherlands, more Gloucesters and even more air units patrolling the skies. Within seconds, the whole beachhead was filled with metals and silicon that made the Knightmares into what they are. The whole beach was covered in the colors of purple and silver like a blanket of gems were washed ashore.

"Whoa… there's zillions of them! What do we do?" one of the Black Knight pilots radioed. "How the heck are we gonna fight that many?"

"We can't beat this many! There's no chance!"

"Calm down" Inoue ordered. "All we need to do is hold them off. Follow orders and you might just make it out of here alive"

"Y… yes ma'am"

**(4****th**** Royal fleet of Britannia flagship)**

When the admiral of the fleet noticed the formation of the Black Knights slowly crumbling under their force a wide and prideful smile spread across his lips. "Your highness, we have the enemy on the run. They're withdrawing just by the sight of our forces"

"Very good…" Guinevere returned to her cool state. "Deploy the rest of the Portmans and cut off their escape route. We'll crush these vermin in one fell swoop. These Black Knights have embarrassed the royal family of Britannia for the last time. All forces! Destroy them! Leave none alive and no prisoners either!"

"Yes, your highness"

**(Toshima Island)**

But alas, the move that Guinevere made that day will probably mark as her greatest up to date. Assembling all of her main force into a single bay area unprotected by artillery fire was probably one of the moves that even a child would not dare make unless absolutely certain that victory was within her grasp. But now that her entire army has gathered onto the specified location, Lelouch sighed.

This was not a game that he had expected. He was expecting something more challenging for him, but sad to say… Princess Guinevere didn't even meet his standards. She failed at his test miserably and not a single word could express his disappointment.

"It's done…… Elie… head to your next objective. Don't disappoint me… (Yes, my master) Monica… you may fire at will…"

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Monica was riding on a stolen Portman vessel hiding deep beneath the bay of Tokyo overlooking a methane hydrate extractor. With the Britannian fleet just right above her and the order of her master given, she did not hesitate to pull the trigger.

In a simple sound of a click button, six sided torpedoes launched from her shoulder tubes and impacted the ground around the extractor. "Forty second depth charge" she stated plainly in a monotone voice. "Deploying grapplers" she then fired out her Slash Harkens onto the ground making it an anchor to the impact that was to come.

After the time limit had expired the torpedoes exploded creating a perfect chain reaction to the extractor. The building exploded and within seconds, a high velocity pressure of air began surfacing from the core of the earth.

Systematically, each of the connectors began to burst, releasing all the gas into the ocean. The explosion and shockwave was so powerful and so vast that the other Portman pilots sensed it as well beneath the waters.

"What the heck was that?"

"An earthquake?" but his answer soon came rather quickly when all of his computer screens came covered with giant foams of bubbles. "What the!?"

"My lord!"

Slowly, one by one, the Portmans crashed on one another resulting in an explosion of their air tanks. Some who were shocked and panicking by the sudden creation of bubbles could not help but fire their torpedoes randomly at each location. And so… with little effort, the whole company of Portmans was demolished into nothingness.

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Above on the seafloor of the water, the Britannian main fleet was suffering the same fate as those below them. When the methane hydrate made it into the open surface, the ships that foolishly docked on the bay were crippled and disabled in a matter of seconds. The Knightmares that were on amphibious mode were too caught in the giant web and scrambled from their formations.

"What the hell!?" one of the commanders shouted.

"Admiral! Bubbles! Bubbles everywhere!"

"I can't move! My feet are stuck!"

In the far distance of Britannia… a silent sickening evil laugh was brought out by Lelouch for he knew that his plan had worked. He knew… that the Britannians… were now finished and under his mercy.

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The Black Knights couldn't even believe it themselves. When they saw the whole bay turned to a sea of bubbles their entire company was placed in a state of shock. Their armies instilled with awe and the picture of this moment burned into the back of their minds. It was nothing lesser than a miracle itself.

To cause such chaos and destruction upon the Britannian with such a simply move was completely unprecedented. Their chain of command was now broken and nearly 4/5 of their army was all but annihilated within a blink of an eye. No one could believe what they had just witnessed. Even now, some of them kept pinching themselves thinking that all of this may as well just be another dream of some kind.

But Kallen was most surprise herself. She had not witness such an act for awhile now since the Battle for Tokyo occurred. There she witnessed the might of Zero crush the Britannian defenses with little effort. The same goes for the battle of Narita which the man created a man made avalanche to destroy his enemies.

"This… this is… impossible…" she heard Chiba whispered through her private channel. "How can they…?"

"Q-1…" the voice spoke up again causing her to glance at the monitor. "Charge in and take command. The enemy is all but yours to mop up and clean…"

"Understood!" she immediately shook away her fears and gathered her courage together. "Black Knights, listen! The enemy has fallen into our territory! Go in and annihilate them! Autonomous Armored Battle Knights, follow me! We'll show these Britannians who defeated them during the Black Rebellion!"

"Yeah! Let's do this!" Tamaki was first to charge in with his unit. After seeing such a splendid sight of luck, his courage soured and the morale of the Black Knights soared along with him. "Come on boys! Let's whoop'em back to place!"

Kallen gritted and quickly analyze the enemy energy signatures with her radar. "Right then. Inoue, take down that enemy cruiser and push in! Sugiyama and Tamaki, take down the floating carrier! Yoshida, focus the Raikou's attack on the center of the enemy's main fleet! Empty the gun if you have to! The Zero Squad will rush in and take care of their reserves!"

"Roger!"

A Britannian pilot saw the Guren's approach and quickly he was frightened for the rumors about the Red Knightmare was terrifying to say the least. "It… it's her! It's the Devil's Right Hand! Everyone fire! Don't let up!"

Kallen gritted her teeth and quickly wave to her units. "Chiba, Give and Take Formation! (Roger!)" in a quick movement, Chiba hurried to the back of Kallen's frame while the girl activated her gauntlet creating a wide spread shield to cover the whole squad. The bullets and missiles of the Britannians bounced off harmlessly and when she pierced through their lines they immediately unleash hell towards their enemies. "Alright, now get them!"

"With pleasure!" Chiba cut through two frames and fired a barrage of her gun at the enemy. "No one can match against the Zero Squad…"

And the battle went on for about another ten minutes or so. But in that short span of time, many of the Britannian army were wiped out along with their chain of command.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Guinevere froze.

No she was beyond frozen, she was paralyzed.

Her victory taken out in a blink of an eye and her entire army crushed by a simply ploy of luring and trapping. It was as if she was being toyed with. Her whole presence taken as a joke in life, as a mistake that should never have happened, and a worthless piece of a chess set that is never used in any game.

She was now frightened. Her heart was at a standstill and her mind set completely focused on the monitor before her. Her fleet which outnumbered the enemy a thousand to one was now all but destroyed. The ships that were under her command had vanished from the screen and were replaced with the word 'LOST' in its stead. They were all but gone. All thirty of her vessels destroyed, all of her Knightmares and pilots… killed or captured.

There was nothing left that could be salvaged from it.

"This is…" she muttered frightfully. "This is… impossible…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Guilford too was also shocked beyond belief. His entire life he had only witnessed such a frightening disaster happen twice to his army. One of course was at Narita and the other in the Battle for Tokyo just like Kallen. But to witness another massacre happen right before his eyes was… just… too much. Mere words could not describe what he felt right now.

"This… this is insane…" he whispered a silent prayer to himself. "Who could've caused this? To create bubbles from the seafloor?"

"Lord Guilford… look at this…" Alfred, one of the Glaston Knights muttered in fright. "This is beyond calling for reinforcements. Our entire main force… wiped out… just like that…"

"This is no time to panic. We can't disgrace ourselves at the face of the enemy" the knight snapped himself back to his senses and switched onto an open channel to the troops below. "This is Gilbert Guilford of his majesty's royal guard! I will be taking command from here on. It's a temporary measure in the mean time. We'll have to stop the Black Knights from destroying anymore! Everyone still remaining are to follow my orders exactly and we might just get you home! Please, I ask only for your cooperation"

"Y… yes, my lord" the soldiers below nodded in response a bit shaken from the after effect of the explosion.

"Thank you. I am grateful to you" With what remained of the army under his command Guilford quickly rounded up his knights and prepared them for battle. "Now then. I'll go to the area and direct emergency evacuation and rescue operations. Alfred, you take the remnants of the sixth platoon and hold the enemy off. (Sir) Bart, you're with me… (GASP!) Hmm?" the man stopped when he noticed a strange fuzzy yet somewhat familiar figure appearing on screen. "A wide broadcast channel? What is this…? Who could be watching a live broad news channel at a time like this?"

But just before the man could turn off the screen he heard the yell of one of his subordinates ringing in one of the com channels. "No…it can't be! L… lord Guilford!!!" Alfred nearly screamed when his eyes widened and glued to the screen. "That's……" the whole Glaston Knight unit recognized the figure on the monitor almost instantly. Even though they have seen it plenty of times before, this one felt largely different.

"What's wrong?" he demanded to know what. What could possibly be so frightening that would scare the Glaston Knights to their throats? When he increased the signal boost onto his com channel, the figure finally cleared up. Its body and figure, was easily labeled as a demon itself.

"I am…… ZERO!" the name shook the world by storm.

"What the hell!?" Guilford gasped loudly. His lunges choked with the air that he inhaled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Zero!?" Guinevere yelped.

"It can't be!" the admiral shrieked.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kallen's head jerked to her monitor as she heard his voice. Her heart began to pump and all of her bones were beginning to grow numb. "Zero?"

Chiba too was also surprised. To see the man who was supposedly claimed to be dead make a comeback was completely unexpected. "The real Zero? No… there's no way that it could be him, could it?"

Back in the base of the Japan fronts, Asahina, Tohdoh and Urabe were all glued to the same screen, the same face and the same man who once brought Britannia down onto its knees.

"It can't be…" Asahina muttered completely disbelieving the words of the man. He had seen this kind of stunt before done by previous men who claimed to be Zero. But the one who was speaking now was different. His aura was different and his words were so well tuned with one another that it picked for a dramatic entrance.

But at the back, Tohdoh could only smirk at him. "So… you finally made it back… Zero…"

Back in Tokyo, Diethard and Ohgi were ogling at the screen in front of them. Their eyes were so wide at the time that it was a miracle that they didn't fall off from their sockets and rolled down the floor.

**(German Frontlines) (E.U. – Britannia War) (Britannian Pacific Fleet)**

Suzaku froze on his Lancelot as he heard the echo of the man claiming to be Zero made his proclamation on his monitor. "No… no……… no…! No no no no! NO!!"

But in the ship deck of Prince Schneizel's personal vessel, the man only grinned in return. There were no words to fully express the joy that he was feeling. Just by judging the tone of his voice, he knew right then and there… that was the real Zero. There was no other like him that could ever match that charisma that he held.

**(Japan) (Tokyo) (Government Capital)**

As the world grasped on to the man who made his sudden return out of the blues, Zero continued with his speech. "People of the world…… I have returned!" he raised his hand into the air in a very dramatic pose and followed it with a short pause, allowing the crowd to catch up with their thoughts. In an instant after he began his speech, Diethard swiped the man who sat beside him and pressed onto the zoom button so hard that it almost looked like he wanted to see the molecules floating around Zero's mask. (Not literally)

"That's it!" he yelled out to the top of his lunges, his eyes still threaten to bulge from their sockets. "The Omega line that I set up for him a year ago… and the only one who knows about it……… is Zero!!!" he grabbed a female officer by the arm and twirled her around like a tango dance. "Yes! I knew you were still alive you bastard!!!"

"Zero…?" Ohgi stuttered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inside the prime minister's personal quarters, Kaguya smiled proudly as she knew that only one person on earth could have such power to move such people with words. "Zero… it is you…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the R&D section of the government capital, Rakshata and her science team were all surprised to see the man in the mask as well appearing on their morning television. As he made his return debut to the world, they knew immediately that he was the real one. His voice, his dramatic posture, his words… they were all focused and undetermined like he was orchestrating the symphony with his bare hands.

"Well well…" Lloyd chuckled. "It looks like our boss has decided to show himself today. I guess we should tidy our rooms a little bit. We wouldn't want him finding our office a complete wreck"

"But is he the real one?" Cecile said a bit uncertain.

The man simply waved it off like it didn't really matter to him. "Who knows? All I know that this one is very different from the other Zeros that made their debut"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In a small hidden area in the Tokyo Settlement.

"Here me Britannia!" Zero continued with his speech. "All you who have power, heed my words carefully. (pause) I am burdened by sorrow. War and discrimination, malicious deeds carried out by the strong……… the same abhorrent interplay of tragedy and comedy. The world has not changed… the people still suffer. (Pause) That is why the resurrection of Zero was necessary. So long as the strong oppress the weak… my revolution will continue to grow! It begins today with the divine punishment which I have wrought upon the inept and foolish, Princess Guinevere su Britannia!"

"Heh…" Jeremiah and Elie smirked as they watched their proud leader continue without any interruption.

"Boy oh boy…" the blonde Knight of Zero chuckled. "He sure is coming back with a vengeance"

"I shall fight… against all those who abuse their power! Therefore… starting from this moment… I hereby declare the establishment of the United Federation of Nations!"

The United…

…Federation…

… of Nations?

The world grasped onto the man's words which only seemed to want them to understand more. But inside, both Jeremiah and Elie understood what he wanted. The man would not be satisfied with simply destroying Britannia. No… he wanted the whole world. Therefore… he would need the aid of all the other nations and place them under his guidance. With them as his stepping stone, and their military strength with his influence… nothing would be able to stop him from achieving world domination.

"Starting from this moment… this room will be the first dominion of the U.F.N!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rakshata laughed at this. "Ahahahaha! An organization that plans to unite world under a single room. That man is as amusing as ever"

"Indeed I agree…" Lloyd nodded.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Race, ideology and religion will not matter here. Being a member of this alliance will have but one requirement: To do that which is 'just'!"

"I believe that's my cue" Jeremiah spoke to his partner before turning to leave the room.

"Yes. I'll leave it to you then" Elie nodded in return as his gaze back to the Zero (C2) in front of him. "Well then. I guess the stage is all mine… now…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the skies just above the battlefield, a stealth jet hovered over like a vulture waiting for its prey to weaken.

"So… you've regained your identity at last… big brother" Rolo stated boringly as he clipped his phone together. "My mission is clear then. I will have to… Kill… Zero…"


	13. Imprisoned Country

**Chapter 13: The Imprisoned Country**

**(Japan)**

Guilford starred with his eyes wide open like he had drank ten mugs of coffee this morning. His mind and heart was gripped with fear and whatever willpower he had left was gone by like the wind. Zero's speech made a great impact on the soldiers of both sides of the battlefield. The Black Knight's morale soared and the Britannian forces were paralyzed like their feet were glued right to the ground.

"_T… this can't be right…"_ the man did not notice that his entire body was shaking until he turned his eye upon his hand which quivered under the grip of the controller. _"This Zero is a fake… just like the others… he has to be. But… if that's true then why… why is my whole body trembling like this? Why is my conscious screaming at me and telling me to turn and run away?"_ he then gasped upon realization. _"C… could this… could this be the real Zero?"_

"Lord Guilford!" David called out from his com. "What are your orders, sir!?" just by judging the tone of his voice you can tell that he was scared. After experiencing defeat at the hands of Zero during the Black Rebellion, the Glaston Knights seemed to have grown a phobia to the man.

"Retreat!" he shouted out finally after losing his cool. "All forces retreat! Formation doesn't matter now! Fall back at once before we get surrounded!"

"Sir?"

"There's no point in fighting now!" the tone of Guilford's voice was unlike anything the knights heard before. It was unlike him and so out of his character.

"Lord Guilford!" Guinevere's face appeared on screen. "What are you doing!? Go back in there and fight!"

"Princess, please listen!" he snapped. "That's the real Zero! (What!?) I know it! There's no way he's a fake. If we attack now we're only going to get ourselves killed!"

"Zero is dead!"

"He's alive! The man who toppled Princess Cornelia…… is alive…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kallen's mind went into a warp. Was this the man she once admired and loved back during the Black Rebellion? Or was this a totally new one? She couldn't tell, no one could. Zero's mask was unique, and it could be mimicked in many different ways possible. But this one was different. The wearer knew that by taking upon that name, he would never be allowed to take the off ever again in public. It was the curse of the mask and whoever wore it shall bare it until the day their bodies wither from the earth.

"The Britannian forces are retreating!" Sugiyama's voice beckoned in. "They're falling back!"

"No way! You mean we actually did it!?" Tamaki said in disbelief which was then followed by an abrupt roar from the soldiers and the Black Knights.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rolo sat in his brother's experimental stealth jet privately that afternoon as he watched the tracking device did its magic. When Lelouch found this ship in the junkyard of Hollington he quickly ordered it to be brought back to his lab for experiments. Though its design was pretty ancient, the equipments it used were indeed fairly more advanced than most crafts of today. It was the J-8 stealth vessel of Britannia used during the war with Area 3 many years ago. Its main function was to be the eyes and ears of the military during an attack on a particular country. Its primary defensive weapon was indeed its stealth system which made it particularly invisible on the radar system.

Though it still required a small number of crew to operate it to its fullest function, it was indeed once the state of the art craft that gave birthing designs to many Britannian ships up to date. You could say that this ship was perhaps the last of its kind on the battlefield since the military now relied on ECM and ECC to triangulate enemy positions and area of operations.

But just as Rolo managed to pinpoint the location of Zero's broadcasting point, his phone suddenly began to ring. "Hello?" he waited a minute to answer it. But when he did, all he seemed to be getting was garbled up messages. "Oh, wait a moment" he remembered then that he was in a different country now and his contact was coming all the way from Britannia. As he placed in a military signal booster, he returned the call. "Yes?"

"Rolo, where did you go?"

The boy's eyes widened with sudden surprise as he recognized the voice. "L… Lelouch!?"

"I asked you to stay home and be the host when I'm not around. Milly and the others arrived already and… where are you right now? Your signal seems pretty weak"

"I uh…" Rolo turned his gaze to the monitor for a moment and was now completely confused to what was going on. _"What's going on here? Is the Zero making the speech right now, a different person?"_ he shuddered the thought and returned the reply onto the phone. "Big brother, where are you right now?"

"Where else do you think I'd be? I'm at home. George told me that you ran off somewhere and now Rivalz is testing one of my expensive bikes. (Yeah!) Hey! Rivalz, be careful, that thing hasn't gotten insurance yet! (Oh come on) Oh great… not this again. Anyway Rolo, where are you?"

"Me?" Rolo scrambled his thoughts trying to find an excuse. "W… well I um… I…"

"Are you out shopping again? I thought I told you to bring someone along whenever you go out. I don't want you going off alone without me knowing"

"Oh come on now Lelouch" Milly's voice perked in. "Don't treat your brother like that. He's old enough to take care of himself you know"

Rolo was confused. His brother's tracking device worked perfectly as day and he could see that the signal from Zero was being transmitted from Tokyo. But now… his brother seems to be calling him half way across the world.

"Well anyway Rolo" Lelouch continued as he pushed Milly off. "Get back home as soon as you can. We'll be having dinner in a couple of hours and we still need to get your new school uniform"

"Uh… right…" Rolo muttered. "Big brother, are you near a TV by any chance?"

"TV? No, I'm not. We're at the tracks right now. Why?"

"N… nothing. Never mind. I'll see you in a bit then" and with a click, he switched it off before dialing a new number. "Yes, it's me. I need to speak with the officer in charge of the office. Tell her it's a code 04 emergency"

Rolo waited for about a minute listening to the waiting music before it finally got answered. "This is Villetta" came a voice.

"Ms. Villetta… have you heard the news?"

"Yes, I think everyone on earth heard it" she groaned. "What's your status?"

"I'm currently heading back to the house. Has everything been prepared?"

"We've only just moved in ourselves. Get over to our safe house in three hours"

"Understood…"

**(Government capital) (Airstrip)**

The arrival of Zero stirred a hornet's nest around the government capital of Japan. Ever since the masked hero made his return debut to the world, the front gate had been crowded with journalists and reporters hoping to get an exclusive of who was behind the mask. They were all thinking that it could just be another wannabe who had nothing better to do. There were few who believed that it was a totally new one who could succeed where the original Zero could not. But some even had the thought that it was the original one resurrected from the depths of hell itself.

The military force around the capital had to set up a blockade to prevent the masses from flooding in. But even so… that did not stop them from barraging the guards with questions in hopes to get an answer from one of the soldiers at least.

But just as they were about to lose their fatigue on the gate entrance, the media crew suddenly noticed two black Sutherlands approaching from a distance. "Look! Everyone, look!" all eyes turned to the two Knightmares almost immediately. Everyone knew that it was definitely Zero in one of them since Sutherlands were pretty much remodeled by the Japanese engineering corp.

"It's Zero!"

"Lord Zero!"

"Mr. Zero, over here!"

The crowd cheered from below and screams of every day fans echoed non-stop. It was like watching a concert the size of a city itself.

As the Knightmares slowly approach, Ohgi couldn't help but whisper to Kallen on his doubt about this new Zero. "Hey Kallen, is this Zero, the same one as before?"

"I don't know" she replied with a bit of distrust in her eyes. "But whoever he is… he turned the tide of battle for us. He might turn out to be another fake like all the others"

"But that mask. He stole it from our highest secured vault and used it. No one else could've pulled that kind of thing off"

"In either way… we have to find out. Whatever the cost…"

When both Sutherlands made it on scene, the sight that greeted them on the airstrip were no more but the entire regiment of the Black Knights along with its old members as well. There were four Gekkas in the areas along with the Guren parked not far along the control tower. Six soldiers flanked on both sides of the run way, preventing the 'maybe-imposter' from escaping. With a single glance, even an amateur could tell that going out of the Knightmare would only be suicide.

But then suddenly, the speakers of one of the Sutherlands turned on. "Well now, this is quite a violent reception to be welcoming the hero of Japan" in an instant the original members of the Black Knights recognized it as Jeremiah's.

"That voice…" Ohgi quirked. "It can't be… Jeremiah?"

"What?" Tamaki questioned. "You mean Orange Boy? What's that guy doing back here!?"

Jeremiah exited from his cockpit wearing the same outfit he wore back when he was permitted into the Knights of Zero. A suit of black and gold and a cape that covered his entire body. It was as if he was the opposite version of the Knights of the Round. "Good to see you're all well. I see neither of the original members has died yet. How quaint…"

"You!" Kallen huttled back. "What are you doing here!? Were you the one on the radio!?"

"Me?" the man held a laugh together as he turned his eye to the second Sutherland. "Please. You overestimate me. But seriously. Is this anyway to be treating the man who just saved your life?"

"It's a precaution" Ohgi stated back.

"Then I'm going to have to ask all of you to lower your weapons" he demanded. "I will not allow any sort of harm to come to lord Zero… if you wish to lay even a single finger on him then you will face punishment by my sword"

Zero laughed silently to himself inside his Sutherland as he watched the bicker between Jeremiah and the Black Knights. He would've loved to record all of this and watch it again some time but alas, his duty to the dark hand of Lelouch was absolute. "That's enough Jeremiah" he spoke out as he exited from his frame. "More fighting here would lead us nowhere"

"Yes… forgive my insolence" The man bowed apologetically and stepped aside for Zero to meet his old allies.

As Zero inspected the presence of the soldiers that stood in front, the Black Knights couldn't help but get a feel that something was right. Out of every Zeros that had appeared during the past year, none of them had a more frightening and dominating aura as the one that was present to them. His sheer presence was indomitable and if a normal civilian stood at this very area, they would be on their knees bowing down on their heads like pleading to a god to lead them to their eternal salvation.

"Well now… isn't this a pretty sight?" Zero grinned. "The whole regime of the Black Knights… and Lady Sumeragi as well. I'm honored"

But right before Kaguya could reply, Kallen stopped her. "Don't play games with us" she said quite bitterly. "How do we know that you're the real Zero?" she demanded. "You could just be some fake that took over his name and stole his mask from our secured vault"

Zero raised a brow. "What's this now? Was my demonstration not good enough for you?"

"Don't take us lightly!" she snapped back at him. "We're grateful that you helped us turn the tide of the battle, but it's absolutely unforgivable for someone to take the identity of our leader for his own benefit. If you really are Zero… then show us your proof!"

Elie knew well why Kallen acted so terribly vague about his presence. Lelouch and C2 explained in the smallest of details that she was the most loyal of all the Black Knights and would be the hardest to convince. But of course… just because she was the hardest to persuade doesn't mean that she was 'un-persuadable'.

As time slowed down for everyone, Zero knew that he can not prolong this act. If he was to convince them that he was the real deal then he would need to do it now. And so… with a deep breath, he ushered out the script that Lelouch handed to him and memorized everything by heart.

"I have none…" was his reply which seemed to have startled everyone. "I have no proof whatsoever to prove that I am the Zero that you followed during the Black Rebellion"

Kallen sharpened her eyes and waved to the soldiers. "Then I will have no other choice but to unmask you and arrest you for stealing one of our most prized treasures" the guards slowly raised their weapons at him along with the Gekkas that were in the area.

"Is that so?" the man who claimed to be Zero chuckled. "If thieveries are such high crimes nowadays then I guess you wouldn't mind returning my handkerchief now, would you?" Kallen's hand immediately jerked away and a blush that has long forgotten from her face returned upon remembering about the said object.

"H… how…?"

"Handkerchief?" Minami questioned slightly to the girl's embarrassment.

But just before they could continue with their argument, another feminine yet familiar voice echoed from the Sutherlands. "Well now… that rings a familiar bell" it was C2 who appeared next from the Knightmare that Zero came out of. "I never thought you'd still remember such trinkets from the old days"

"C2!?" the members who knew her as Zero's mistress quickly recognized her. Green hairs were very rare in Britannia and fairly non-existent to the rest of the world so it was easy to remember her.

The girl dropped down from the frame and looked around her. So far, everyone here seemed to be focus on Zero alone. Even the presence of two foreigners was barely grasping their attention. "I see you haven't changed. Although it seems that you've gotten a bit fatter"

"C2… is it really…?"

"That's enough, all of you!" another voice interrupted. The Black Knights turned their heads around and noticed Tohdoh and the Three Holy Swords approaching them. "Everyone, lower your weapons this instant!" the soldiers in the area complied and slowly lowered their guns from Zero. They were glad. They didn't feel comfortable pointing such puny weapons onto the most renowned man on the planet. When Tohdoh approached Zero at a close face to face distance he scanned the man from head to toe, as if finding some kind of hint of emotions coming from him. So far, he saw none.

Zero had complete confidence in his words and explained nothing in which was to give away his thoughts. His presence alone sent shivers to the Colonel's bones and for some reason he could sense that Diethard was laughing somewhere at the base dancing around like a lunatic.

After taking all the necessary precautions, Tohdoh decided to take a gamble and play a bit of acting him. "You're pretty late… Zero…"

"My tardiness was needed to ensure that my plan worked. I always aim for results and victory"

Not a single word of apology. That alone proved 2 percent that he was Zero.

Those odds alone were enough.

With that, Kyoshiro smiled before handing the man a small folder which was labeled as top secret with a big red sticker. "These are the defense codes and military force that I've organized prior to your orders. They should show you the exact locations of each of our bases and defense networks" in short, the man was showing Zero everything that he had done prior to the one and a half year that had gone by in his absence.

"Colonel!?" Urabe yelped. "What are you…?"

"You're giving him our national defense secrets, Colonel!?" Asahina gasped.

As Zero quickly scanned through the contents of the folder a small grin formed around his face. The defense codes of Japan were at the palm of his hands. With this alone he could conduct an invasion of the country with minimal casualties. But his duty still remained and his purpose unchanged.

"Very good…" he said finally after a brief pause. "You've followed my orders just as I expected. You created the Japanese army perfectly. They're not enough to be a threat to Britannia or launch an invasion but they're good enough to withstand a siege. Well put…"

"So… what's our next step…Zero?"

"Kyoshiro…" Ohgi muttered worryingly. "Are you saying that… he's really…?"

"Listen!" Tohdoh barked out. "I know all of you here have doubts about the man that stands before you. But I have confidence that he will be the one to lead us! If one dons the mask of Zero then he is to forever wear that mask as his identity. I cannot tell if this man is truly the same one that we followed the year past. But I do know… with him we can win in a fight against all who would dare to harm Japan! I won't force any of you to believe… but this is what I think. I believe this Zero…… is no different than the one that died in Mt. Fuji…"

"Colonel…" Chiba muttered uncertain of whether to follow him or her current commander.

"An impressive speech, Colonel Tohdoh" Zero clapped his hands playfully. "But such words alone can't move men. It is the will of man alone that decides their actions. And so here and now… I ask you all: To either accept me… or reject me…" he noticed Kallen giving him the untrusting glare. "If you accept me, then stand aside… if you reject me… then I suggest you shoot me right here and now. But…… if you all decide to deny me… then I will have no other choice but to take you all with me" a chorus of small gasps and whispers emanated from the crowd as the man showed a small Sakuradite bomb trigger from his pocket.

"No way!" Yoshida jerked back a bit, frightened by the sight of such a small bomb.

"Each and every one of you must've already known this. Ever since you joined up with the Black Knights, you only have two options. You may either live with me……… or perish with me" he raised the small capsule above his head and threatened to bluff the whole army. The bomb that he held in his hand was not a real Sakuradite bomb, but more of a flashlight device equipped with a smoke chaff.

"Zero…" even Kallen could barely believe it. He was planning to die along with them if things did not go his way.

But just before anyone could give any other kind of reaction, Kaguya finally decided to speak out. "Alright everyone, that's enough now" she said in a playful manner. "As the head of the Sumeragi Conglomerate and the Prime Minister of Japan, I order you all to lower your weapons" the soldiers were reluctant at first but decided to obey nonetheless. "Master Zero here is dead serious and I think we can all agree on Mr. Tohdoh's vouch. If he's in then so am I"

"Lady Kaguya?"

"Prime Minister Sumeragi…" Zero spoke out. "I see you haven't changed a bit since we last met. Energetic as always"

"Of course! Were you expecting anything else?"

**(Britannia) (Lamperouge Estate) (Hollington) (The next day)**

Lelouch was enjoying a peaceful moment with his friend by the giant pool that afternoon in his estate. Even after witnessing the return of Zero on television they didn't stop enjoying themselves on a fun-filled weekend journey. Rolo on the other hand returned about an hour later after the broadcast was finished and from there on end, he has been acting pretty suspicious of his brother.

He had shooting quick glances at Lelouch trying to see if there was any hint of him regaining his memories. But alas, there was not. If he did then his Geass eye would become apparent and that alone would give him away. He at least thought that Lelouch would try to do something unnatural and suspicious but he seemed to be just the way he was supposed to be.

After lunch Rolo decided to take a little stroll in the estate's ranch, where the secret OSI base was built during the refurnishing of the mansion a year ago. There, he found Commander Villetta and several other agents and informants along with her, discussing their needs while they overviewed the cameras that they hid around the house.

"Status report…" the Baroness requested.

One of the agents nodded and opened the folder in front of him. "No changes or any suspicious activity my lord" he began with a confident tone. "Even after the Matoir Mall incident, Lelouch Lamperogue has shown no special changes in his personality, attitude or behavior"

Another agent nodded in agreement to his statement. "Yes. There are over a hundred and eighty cameras in the school campus and another 60 cameras here at the Lamperouge Estate. Adding to the surveillance that Lelouch installed himself, we counted over another 200 cameras. Not to mention our 47 undercover observers" Rolo made a small gesture to his heart shape locket which seemed to mean something to him.

"That's forty eight observers" another agent corrected him. "We also found no clues or information that could connect Lelouch with the annihilation of Baron Carthage's Unit"

"The man was reckless as ever" Rolo stated a bit too coldly for their liking. "Commencing such an operation at the Matoir mall which was obviously taken by professional terrorists, ended up getting himself killed"

"Watch what you say, kid……"

"But its true isn't it?" Rolo countered not a bit phased by the man's threat. "Because of that operation, he didn't just get himself, but twenty of our agents killed"

"Why you…!"

"Enough!" Villetta ordered. "We won't get anywhere by discussing this. Carthage, acted on his own directive. All evidence pointed out that his unit was killed by a firefight. His replacement will be joining up with me later in the University. In either case: Our surveillance is perfect. Lelouch has no opportunity to use his Geass. If he is Zero, it would be odd if he returned here to school"

"And what's the status of C2?" Rolo questioned still in his monotone voice. "Where is she?"

"If she's not in close proximity to Lelouch then… the odds would be very slim that she's in Japan"

"You mean things are the same as they were before the incident: You still have no clue to where C2 is" the woman grunted at him but as usual he ignored it. "Anyway… did you track down Lelouch's personal flight path? The one he took after we arrived at the estate"

"We looked into that too" Villetta slowly took out a document from the folder in front of her and scanned its contents slowly. "So far everything Lelouch said on the phone, checks out. The vineyards in the northern part of Hollington were suffering a minor error on fertilizers. Some earthworms ruined the farm so harvest will be minimal this season"

"We also questioned the pilot who took him there" another agent added. "As since last year we've gotten nothing"

"I know that" Villetta sighed. "This concludes today's meeting. Those of us of the Office of Secret Intelligence will carry on our mission to capture C2. People, continue observing the bait as you have been"

"Yes… my lord…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lelouch spent the next few hours at home studying. Though his friends constantly kept talking about how big his estate was he tended to ignore their rantings. The library was huge to say the least and it was probably the only place in the whole estate where the master of the household could get some peace and quiet.

"Hello!" Rivalz shouted out to the top of his lungs breaking the air of silence with his voice. He was trying to hear the echoes across the room and try to see how many times he can hear himself again. "Hehehe… well this is fun. I always wanted to do this at our school library but the teacher always catches me in the end"

"Well they do take their rules seriously" Lelouch joked as he sat by the window with Milly while reading a book they took out from the cabinet. A maid was with them at the time serving them tea all the while waiting for any orders from the master, just in case.

"That's because the university is a very serious school" Milly reasoned. "The laws are meant to be followed, after all"

"And this comes from a person who broke all the school rules in a record of one week" Lelouch added which seemed to make the girl blush in a shade of red. "But even so. Can't you tell the teachers to lay off me for once in awhile? I did campaign the university for three months and it totaled your applicants to a near hundred"

"That only proves that you can't buy everything with money" Shirley replied with a small chuckle.

Rivalz nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Just because you're rich, doesn't mean you can get friends or a love one in a blink of an eye"

"Is that so?" Lelouch challenged with a smirk. "By the way Rivalz, did you know that I have the mock series 8000 at the garage? (What!?) Yeah, I bought it on a sales on the net a few days ago but I haven't found the time to test drive it. Would you mind giving it a spin?"

"Wow, really!? The limited addition series?! The one that is almost impossible to get!? The company which had been bankrupt two years ago that made only ten of them in the entire country!?" the boy literally jumped off his seat with a wide smile on his face. "Seriously!?"

"Of course. The keys are with the mechanics. Just tell them I sent you and you should be fine. They should probably be tuning it in the garage by now"

"Wow! Thanks Lelouch, you're the bestest best friend in the whole wide world!" and without another word, the boy went off like a rocket, holding no laughter behind. "Mock 8000, here I come!"

"W… wait a second Rivalz!" Shirley followed after. "You can't just go driving stuff without your helmet!"

After the two of them were out of sight and out of earshot, Milly let out a sigh. "Oh boy… those two are as energetic as always"

"And he says that money can't buy friends" the dark lord laughed. "As long as you have power and influence, you can take anything. So goes our code after all. The Britannian code I mean…"

"Power is everything" Milly added showing a small sign of her fatigue. "That's what our great emperor said after all. Ha…… things were so simple back then. Back when we were in Area 11. Just you, me, Shirley, Rivalz and Nina. We were just ordinary kids with not a single care in the world"

"Hmph…… what? Feeling nostalgic?" Lelouch grunted somewhat rudely, but Milly was already used to his behavior. "It's because of the Black Rebellion incident and the secession of that Area, we all had to repeat this year's schooling. Most of our old classmates are already gone and I can barely recognize anyone in these parts. Oh that reminds me. Where did Nina go? I haven't been able to contact her for awhile"

Milly seemed to have gone into a cold and sad mood as she knew what happened to Nina. Ever since the Black Rebellion succeeded she had been on a little mental block. "Actually… I've been in contact with her for awhile. She came out of the mental hospital a few months back"

"Mental hospital?" Lelouch jerked back. "What happened?"

"You probably wouldn't know. It was when the Black Rebellion instigated in Tokyo. Nina was a big admirer to Princess Euphemia and I think when news came of her death… I think she just snapped"

"Oh…… I see. Sorry. I didn't mean to pry" Lelouch lowered his head a bit. He knew then that he was responsible for Nina's condition. He remembered back then one of his soldiers telling him that Nina had made a Sakuradite bomb which would be powerful enough to take the whole Tokyo Settlement. "Why don't we change the topic? What would you like to eat? (Huh?) I saw you barely touch your food during lunch since you were too excited to get to the pool. You must be starving now"

"Well… I could use a little desert"

"Good" Lelouch then gestured to the maid who then bowed to him. "I'll have Peanut butter cookies and some apple juice"

"Of course of my lord" the maid responded politely before turning to Milly. "And what will you have my lady?"

"Oh well umm… I guess… I'll have what he's having"

"Very well" she bowed again. "I shall be off then"

With the maid off to get their orders, Milly couldn't help but feel a bit odd with this. She used to have this kind of service when she was still a noble but now that she was a commoner, everything had to be done by their own hands. The Ashford family still had a system of servants of their own but only enough to get the cooking and cleaning and some of the menial chores done. Everything else will have to be done on their own.

"Oh… how I miss being a noble"

"You actually miss getting suitors on a daily basis?"

"Ok I'll give you that. But anyway Lelouch, back to our previous topic… you really should come to class more often. It's true that you may be a noble and it's true that you have exceedingly good grades, but you have to attend classes regularly or it'll mean nothing. Your bad habits might even have a tendency to get your brother in trouble"

"Don't worry. I already have more than enough school credits to pass, don't I? Besides school is a bore. Why should I learn things that I already know?" but just as he took a sip of his tea cup, his eyes darted slightly to the ranch stables below by the window. With his quick analysis skill, he was able to deduct that something was disturbing the horses. There was a strange ominous light glowing from the ranch and it didn't look like the herder was back from his lunch break. After a moment, he saw Rolo appeared out of the ranch with his phone tucked neatly in his pocket.

With a brief look, Lelouch immediately knew what was going on. _"As I expected: The OSI seemed to have made a base of operation here in my estate. They probably set up surveillance cameras around the mansion and school and have agents watching my every move. Rolo's probably one of them too so I'll have to plan my attacks carefully. If I can bring the OSI to my control, then I will be able to get information on the emperor's whereabouts and use them against all that would try to oppose me. First…… I will need a list of names of their agents and all who are working for them. If I can get that I can begin my counterattack. But how will I be able to get that kind of information without revealing myself?"_

He then saw the light inside the ranch vanish which only proves the whereabouts of their base. _"Hmm… I recognize my P.E. teacher, Coach Villetta Nu as one of the first victims of my Geass. If that's the case then my powers won't work on her anymore. If I keep acting the way I have been then they won't suspect a thing… but the problem now is Nunnally. If they have her hostage then I have no doubt they'll try to use her to lure me out. Not only that but all memories of her with my friends seemed to have been wiped out too. I'll have to act fast. If I could get just one agent on my side then the OSI will be done for. Judging from the reaction I got from that Baron in Matoir mall, the OSI only know that I am Zero but they don't know that I am the Prince of the Royal Family"_

"… hey Lelouch!" Milly yelled out, bringing the boy out of his thoughts. "Are you listening? It's very rude to ignore a woman when she's talking"

"Oh yeah. Sorry" he apologized. "I was thinking of something else. What were you talking about?"

"Never mind… you know you can be a pain in the neck sometimes"

"Ahehe… yes, I'm sorry" he let out a small laugh. _"Right now I don't have the adequate resources to fight against them. I'll have to dig deeper into the journal that I found on that OSI agent. So far Elie has been proving himself useful by joining the Black Knights together. I'll have to act fast or Britannia will have the opportunity to strike first. Why don't I try subduing Rolo first? He appears to be the easiest one I could get at the moment"_

**(E.U. frontlines) (Borken district, North Rhine – Germany)**

The war at the E.U. fronts was going surprisingly smoothly for the European Universe for once. After suffering major defeats one after the other, a victory here would mark the counterattack against Britannia. As the Britannian Pacific Fleet made its landing on the beaches of Germany, the troops encountered the E.U.'s latest Knightmare frame weapon.

The Panzer-Hummel (Armor/Tank Bumblebee).

They were now the spearhead of every defense in the E.U. fronts as well as offense. Their heavily armored shell and large quantity of firepower made them exceeding well verse on either kind of operations. Some would even say that they were quite a match for Sutherlands and Gloucesters as well. Though a single one of these frames would prove to be a nuisance, the usual tactics for such heavily armored division was usually to form a wall called the Gaul Line which is often consist of three to eight squads of these frames.

But even among these Panzel-Hummels, another Knightmare was developed.

The Weremarc Tiger. Named after its two predecessors from WWII, the Tiger was far superior to its younger cousin, the Panzer-Hummel.

An armored Fortress on foot if one would say so. Unlike the Panzer-Hummel, this particular Knightmare was co-developed by the Italian and German State forces to counter against the most heavily armored forces from a distance. Equipped with three powerful howitzer cannons as its primary weaponry and two large chainguns to protect itself from close range and air raids, the Tiger was meant to attack its enemies from long range. Serving as a fire base that kept moving from point to point, the Tiger stayed true to its reputation as being deadly powerful and at the same time accurate.

A crew of four was meant to pilot these death machines. One was the captain, who orders target verification, the pilot, who is responsible for moving the mech, the gunner, who fires the artilleries and the communicator, who is responsible for all transmission from headquarters and also the one who controls the chainguns mounted at the front.

Before long, these two Knightmares became a challenge to the Britannians and it wouldn't take them long to realize that the E.U. had finally caught up in the terms of technological weaponries.

And so… and the beach of the Borken District in Germany, the E.U.'s latest weapon will have their mettle put to the test.

"German State forces on the left flank!" a Britannian pilot stated as he saw the Panzers rolling in from the side. "D-unit is moving to engage"

"Enemy Tigers, spotted at the top of the summit! Requesting air raid!"

"Killigan's unit has been wiped out!"

The Britannians were getting their taste of the German forces that day. After the Pacific fleet had made landing on the beaches, they were taken in by surprise when a Gaul Line was formed on the higher grounds raining shells down on them. In moments, the advance guard forces suffered heavy damage and were on the verge of being annihilated.

After their latest attempt to breakthrough the enemy lines had failed, the remaining troops decided to take cover behind the sparse rocky areas that provided little shade for them to hide.

As the commander of the E.U. noticed their invincible defense topple another attack, he made out a small laugh. "Hmph. How do you like that, you Britannians. Think you can out flank our defenses just by attacking us at sea? Ha! Our troops will slaughter you all!"

"Sir!" One of the com officers called in. "Italian State forces are holding. They've repelled the attackers and are regrouping as we speak"

"Excellent! Have the rest of our reserves mount up and prepare to attack. We'll drive these Britannians out of Germany in a matter of seconds!"

"Sir"

"Indeed, quite splendid" another commander showed his face with a satisfied grin. "This will be a glorious triumph against those wretches. The Victory-Bordeau we drink tonight will be a fine vintage to commemorate our…" but he was suddenly interrupted by the same com officer again.

"Unknown craft approaching from above sir!"

"What?! A jet!?" the commander barked. "Have the Tigers move in. All AA-guns fire! Don't let a single plane get through!"

But little did they know… is that the craft which they thought was a jet, was actually a Knightmare equipped with the most advance FLOAT system money could buy. And not just any Knightmare mind you… for when most of the Britannian forces were painted in purple and red, this particular frame was painted with the brightest shade of white and gold. Its eyes were haunting and its structure and venial were easily recognized by the naked eye.

"It… it's the Lancelot!!!?" one of the German pilots shrieked.

"No… it can't be! Britannia's White Death!"

"The Knights of the Round here, on the frontlines?!"

Everyone knew about the great Lancelot and its home legend. Its pilot was a 'Number' who climbed in rank using the Honorary Britannian system. Suzaku Kururugi. The son of the late Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, who ruled Japan… also once known as Area 11. His name was not uncommon around these parts for his deeds and accomplishments were known well throughout the world.

He was responsible for many of Britannia's victories over the E.U. war and a man who showed mercy in every battle that he had been. But out of all his accomplishments, the one that burned his name into the heart of history itself, was for his medal of his greatest act… as the slayer of Zero.

Many of them knew how he foolishly charge into the fray of the Black Knights and slew Zero right in the open in front of all his men.

"Please surrender…" Suzaku requested out of pity as he knew that these Panzers wouldn't do much damage to his Knightmare. "You have no chance of winning. Anyone who throws his weapon down, will not be shot"

But that kind of request was purely insult to the commanders above him. "Of all the demands!"

"Destroy him damn it! He's only one knight!"

The Panzers followed command and quickly broke formation of the Gaul Line. As Suzaku saw them forming a circle motion around him he quickly let out a sigh. "Then so be it…"

Without a moment's hesitation, he launched his Slash Harkens out and destroyed two Panzers that were getting close to his position. With a single motion, he used chained his attack, using the enemy Knightmares as a giant mace to whack on others. The Germans and Italians were taken by surprise but they didn't back down. Seeing this, Suzaku hastily pulled out his two long MVSes and slashed another four of them down.

"You want more?" he trashed talk at them all the while taking them down.

"Damn it! Everyone, encircle!" the commander barked.

But as things began to grow slightly gruesome for Suzaku, he immediately jumped up from the ground and pulled out his VARIS gun to take the enemy Tigers on the summit down with one shot each.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the Britannian Pacific flagship, Schneizel was enjoying the scenery from a rather safe distance along with his advisors and military comrades. As he saw the opening that Kururugi made, he calmly ordered his main force to pour in and destroy what was left of the E.U. forces.

"Another victory for you your highness" Kanon complimented to the prince with a small smile. "The operation went just as you predicted"

"Thank you Kanon" Schneizel replied waving him off. "Have the reserve force land in and have the second battalion subdue the neighboring villages. Once we have this district under our control we can focus on the other cities around the German fronts. We'll make our way to Berlin at the latest opportunity possible"

Kanon raised a brow and noticed that Prince Schneizel looked more restless than usual. The man had developed strategies fast but never in such a fast pace before. It was as if he wanted to get rid of the German-Italian troops as quickly as his troops could. "Pardon my rudeness your highness, but isn't that a bit hasty? I thought that you wanted to see how long the Germans can last against your siege"

"Indeed I do" he admitted plainly. "But now that they have developed such powerful weapons like the Panzer-Hummel and the Tiger, it won't be long before they outdo us in terms of weapons. Besides…… I really want to get back to Area 11 as soon as possible"

"Didn't you just go there yesterday your highness?"

"Yes, I went there to make a public apology to the Japanese. After Guinevere's little stunt went awry, I had to go there personally. I was expecting to see Zero but it seems like he wasn't there at the time"

"Sir…… pardon me for asking, but do you believe that this Zero is the same from the Black Rebellion?"

"I'm not sure myself" he said flatly. "It could be, it could be not. But whatever the case… I am certain he and I will eventually meet one day on the battlefield. But just a precaution… I might bring Suzaku with me"

"Yes, your highness" Kanon nodded before turning back to the screen. "But are you alright with this? Allowing him to conduct sole operations? Kururugi used to be your subordinate"

Schneizel laughed. "Oh Kanon, you have much to learn. Suzaku is no longer my subordinate. He's now the Knight of Seven and reports directly to his majesty. (Hmm…) He has been elevated in rank even by his degrading status as a Number. He's to be admired. The world today is overflowing with despair. That's why he uses his humility and sense of duty as a compass to guide him through these dark times"

**(Lamperouge Estate) (Hollington – Britannia) (Night Time)**

Lelouch entered his room after supper was done. The whole day was practically a brain drain event. After he discovered more than sixty unknown cameras and fifty kinds of bugging systems in his phone lines, he slowly formed a plan on his head in which to counter the OSI's surveillance system. At the same time he had to entertain the guests that he brought along with him and made sure that Rolo kept his eyes on him at all time therefore he wouldn't look like he was making any strange movements.

After watching a movie with his friends at the private home theater, the gang decided that enough was enough for the day.

"_Hmm… just as I thought"_ the boy looked around for a moment as if he was looking for a particular object. _"There are no bugging systems in my room. Making sure that my door is locked tight with a security card that only Rolo and I have, the agents wouldn't have been able to search my room properly. The OSI must also have clearance to my personal security cameras so they'll use that against me as well. All I can do now is play it right. I won't be able to act freely if I'm in school"_

But then he suddenly noticed a call coming from his personal computer. _"Hmm? A private call?"_ he slowly checked his watch and realized that it was indeed the scheduled time that the man was supposed to contact him. "Contacting me right on time" and when the screen opened, it revealed the face of Zero. "Perfect timing as expected"

"Master Lelouch" Zero bowed his head slightly on screen. "Everything has gone according to plan. The Black Knights are now under your control. The Japanese forces also seem to accept us…"

"Very good. This line is a private one so there's no need to worry about anyone eavesdropping on our conversations. Are there any problems?"

"There are a few in the rank who suspect me, but that will be cleared… in due time"

"I heard from the news that Schneizel already made a public apology to the Japanese yesterday" Lelouch stated as he recalled the TV channel he watched. "You'll have to explain that to the Black Knights. How is the strength of the organization?"

"Weak…" one word said it all. "The Black Knights are now nothing more but a mere shadow of its former glory. Its members are low standards and its resources are very limited. However, I expect that to change tomorrow morning. Also… I've contacted Diethard as you've requested. I've made arrangements for the… package to come to you. She should be making her way to your estate by tomorrow as well"

"Excellent. With this I will be one step closer in taking down the OSI" the dark lord flashed a grin. "I'll continue my work on from here. But in the mean time, here are your orders…"

"Anything for you… my master…"

"Make me an army…… worthy of my power…"

Zero grew a rather wide grin under his mask as he received his new order. He knew that if they were going to take on the entire world then they would need an army to conquer all. But in order to do so he would have to raise the necessary funds and influence to do it from scratch… and this time… there won't any Geass around to help him. The only resource he had now would be the Prime Minister and whatever the government can scrap up for him. A perfect test… for the apprentice of the Dark Lord

"Understood… my master…"

Once the screen was turned off Lelouch leaned back on his chair and allow his body and mind to rest. Global domination will have to wait for awhile. Right now he had to focus on keeping his true intentions a secret and take down the OSI. Once that company is taken over by his influence he knows by some miracle of a way… the whole world will soon follow after.

**(Japan) (Government capital)**

"Haaa…" Sugiyama awoke from the barracks that morning to report for duty at the government capital. It was a quiet and normal morning with little expectations. After Zero's sudden reappearance died down a bit, the government capital had become peaceful again. The media crew had left and the riot force that was stationed there had figured that it would no longer be a problem so they left as well.

Once the man entered the registration office at the front of Black Knights HQ, he realized that there was a small stack of papers already placed on his desk. "Ha… another day, another yen…" he mumbled boringly. But just before he could begin his work, he was suddenly tackled by one of his subordinates. "Hey! Watch where you're going! You could get someone hurt"

"Sorry sir!" the soldier bowed while trying to keep hold of the large stack of papers in his hands. "I'm in a bit of a hurry sir!"

"H… hey wait!" but the man was already long gone. "What the heck is that guy in a rush for? It's not like we get over a hundred applicants to join the Black Knights or something" but later he realized that there was a strange racket coming from outside the door. "Hmm? What's all that noise?" when he opened the door full way his eyes suddenly widened with horror as he saw the waves of people stacking up at the entrance of the government capital. "What the hell!?"

"Sugiyama!!" Inoue, one of the original members of the Black Knights barked at him. "Where have you been!? We've been a mess over here!"

"What's going on?" Sugiyama asked now fully awaken from his sleep. "Is there another riot!?"

"No. They're all applicants who want to join the Black Knights" she answered back calmly while holding another folder in her hands. "There were a bunch of them camping outside the building since this morning. We've already gotten 500 resumes and 2000 mails coming from the net. We've even gotten more from the military"

"2000!?"

"Yeah. And from the looks of things, that number is just gonna keep on growing!"

But then another soldier called in from the office with a cell phone on hand. "Captain Inoue! We've got a call from the Nagamasa Hospital! Three of their most talented doctors just sent in their resumes by my phone! Should I tell them to call again later?"

"Nagamasa Hospital?" Sugiyama recognized it as the famed hospital that has been earning its rep even before the Black Rebellion. "No way. Seriously?"

"Tell them to hold" Inoue replied. "I'll be there in a minute" the soldier nodded and head right back into the office. "Looks like this crowd is getting larger by the minute. Sugiyama, I'll leave this area to you"

"Huh? W… wait a minute! Inoue wait!" but he was unable to catch up to her when two employees barred his path with large stacks of papers all disorganized in every way possible. "Wh… whoa!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the small lobby in the Black Knight headquarters overlooking the registration office, Tohdoh and his three Holy Sword along with the higher members of the Black Knights were watching and waiting patiently as they saw the chaos that ensued below. Tohdoh himself was reading later reports on the amount of people wanting to join the organization. Even though the numbers were mediocre, he had to admit that it was damn well impressive. Zero had made preparations using his old influence and connections that he had through the Sumeragi Conglomerate and whatever power remained of the old Six Houses of Kyoto.

With just that he was able to get a hold of several factory contractors, the sponsor of many popular corporations in Japan and even the support of the media. Ohgi spent months in making these kinds of events happen but Zero made it look like child's work. In just a few minutes he was rebuilding the Black Knights into its former glory.

There were even more Knightmares being supplied to his arsenal, more soldiers formed in his ranks and even more personnel added to the rosters. In just six hours, he formed his own private army which almost rival against Tohdoh's military force.

"I see…" Tohdoh motioned to the paper he had on hand. "So it's been like this since this morning?"

"Yes sir" Senba nodded. "There are even two regiments from our own regiment that resigned yesterday to join with the Black Knights. They've been growing in power ever since yesterday"

"Hmm… if this is the case then Zero is going to make his move very soon. It's perfect. Using the defeat of the Britannian army to bolster his reputation and then declaring a country-wide recruitment. His cunning and audacity… is impressive"

"Colonel…"

"I know. Then the time is right" Tohdoh placed the paper down on the table and let out a small smile. "Senba, I'm leaving everything to you now. With our firebases online, Japan can resist Britannia's attacks for awhile. You're in charge from here on end"

"Yes sir!" the large man saluted. "I won't let you down commander"

It wasn't long then until Zero finally entered the room with Jeremiah and lady Kaguya in tow. "Hello there everyone!" the Prime Minister said with glee. "You're all looking well today!"

"Lady Kaguya?" Ohgi gasp. "Zero?"

"I see all the members are here" Zero stated plainly as powerfully as ever. His sheer presence in the room was dominating. Cecile and Lloyd could already tell that there was something different about this Zero and Rakshata seemed to raise a brow of suspicion. They didn't know if this Zero was the same but he was giving that awful familiar feeling. In the end nobody really knows who Zero truly is unless of course you take off his mask, but that alone might get you a life sentence. "Good. How goes the recruitment, Ohgi?"

The man stood in attention rather quickly and brought up a folder to the leader. "Well… ever since yesterday's broadcast at the media station, we've been getting a total of near 3000 candidates. We've received a lot of resumes and about 1/3 of them haven't even been cleared out yet"

"And our military power?"

"Uh… I can't say. We've been getting a lot of weapons from contractors. The reserves from India are supporting us with the parts needed for the Knightmares and several more from Burma. From the sum of it now, we're probably just as strong as the Japanese military" he said proudly.

"_Hmm… just that much?"_ Zero lost himself in thought. _"It seems like we can't squeeze anything more from a country that has just begun recovering from a war. We'll have to look for supporters somewhere else. His majesty will be needing a larger force if he is to stand a chance against Britannia"_

"So Zero" Tamaki smirked as he flexed his muscles together. "When are we gonna take action against the Britannians? From the gathering of this much troops, I'm betting we'll be taking a crack at them soon huh?"

"No…" he said openly and without hesitation. "Our strength is insufficient and fighting against the Britannian would be the least logical action. If we launched an attack now… even with my tactical prowess, we would still lose"

"But, they attacked us didn't they?" Kallen reasoned. "That alone should spring a war between two nations already"

"The battle at Tokyo bay will be covered up as a minor skirmish between two opposing force" Kaguya clarified for them. "The 2nd Prince of Britannia came up to form a public apology and provided a resource package to make up for the damage and chaos that it caused. That was the whole point of Operation: Shadow War. It was to hide the fact that we are now silently at war with Britannia"

Tohdoh nodded in agreement. "And since Japan isn't strong enough to face an empire that large, it'll be foolish for us to even oppose them at this point. We just don't have the manpower or the resources to open such a campaign"

"And Britannia covers over 1/3 of the world after all" Lloyd added in his usual tone. "The whole Japanese army and the Black Knights can't even begin to compare against a single battalion of theirs"

"Then what!?" Tamaki groaned out annoyingly. "We just let them attack us and if they fail they just come to us and say 'oops we're sorry?' That's just plain ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous as it may be, we will have to endure it for now" Zero motioned. "Now that I have made my appearance on a worldwide channel, our time here will be limited. (Huh?) In short… my presence here in Japan will endanger the country. They will me as an excuse to launch an attack since I am responsible for murdering one of the royal family members. As of the moment, the E.U. continues to lose the war and it won't be long until Schneizel turns his attention here. If that happens then Japan will be brought back to a state of war"

"Then what do we do?" Kallen asked. "We can't exactly give you to them"

"That would be the quickest way to end this misunderstanding" Zero commented humorously. "But that won't guarantee that Britannia would not strike at a later time. Once the non-aggression pact is null, then they can officially declare war on Japan again"

"Which is why, Master Zero and I have decided to form a new plan" Kaguya explained happily. "Tee hee…"

But just before they got to the details of the plan, Lloyd decided to step in and ask. "Excuse me. Pardon the interruption on this delicate meeting but I just wanted to ask you out of curiosity's sake: Are you the same Zero as before or are you a brand new one? I can't really tell from this angle or any angle for that matter seeing that you wear a mask on your face all the time"

"Zero's truth is not based on who is within" Zero replied rather calmly as if he was expecting such a question already. "It's the action that measure the man"

"Aha. A philosopher. How unusual for a leader of knights"

"Which reminds me" Zero then turned his attention to Rakshata. "Rakshata. How is the progress on the Knightmare designs I've given you?"

The scientist waved her pipe around and thought for a minute before replying. "We've had plenty of progress, but the final touches aren't done yet. With all the data that I've collected, we should be ready for final testing in a matter of months"

"That won't be quick enough. We'll have to hasten the progress in a few days time. Ohgi, continue updating me with the registration. We won't be able to take all of them with us so I will hand pick the first 50 members on my own. Inoue and Sugiyama will continue on training them in Knightmare combat. We'll need as many experienced soldier we can muster. I'll lay out the details of our plan later"

"R… right…"

"Zero…" Tohdoh called out to him. "And what of me?"

"Hmm?" Zero raised a brow on his eye and analyzed the man closely. It was known by some of the members that Tohdoh left the Black Knights to raise the Japanese army on Zero's orders and they could tell that he wanted to come back as soon as he could but his sense of duty stopped him from doing so. Ohgi even offered him a position but he replied that only Zero can make him come back to the organization. "Tohdoh… will you continue to be my Chief of Military Affairs? It was your original position after all"

"Of course" was his smiling answer. "I'm leaving Senba behind to continue my work here. Asahina and Urabe will be joining with me"

A series of happy smiles began to grow among the members. Slowly but surely they were seeing it happen. The resurrection of the Black Knights was coming to. Now that its strength was returning and its old members regrouping… it was only a matter of time before Britannia would learn to fear once again.


	14. Shadow of the Dark Lord

**Chapter 14: The Shadow of the Dark Lord**

**(Britannia) (Lamperouge Estate)**

Lelouch, Rolo and their friends were having breakfast that morning in the living room. Since it was the beginning of a new week, the gang wanted to enjoy the last time here at the estate. It was sunny at the moment at Hollington and much of the farmers were cultivating the harvest at the greenhouses that Lelouch made for them.

The dark lord didn't really pay much attention to his friends' mild chatter. He was more focused on how he was going to topple down the OSI from within now that he knew that he was being watched on all sides. As he slowly ate his food, his eyes darted from wall to wall as if trying to observe anything out of the ordinary. He had already discovered many cameras that he did not place in the living room and a few more placed in furnitures but that would not impede him on his path to world domination.

"_It seems like my movements are being monitored as I suspected"_ Lelouch thought as he acted his part of reading today's newspaper. _"There are a total of twelve cameras here in the living room. Security is tight just as I thought. Moving around freely will be difficult. But nonetheless, I will have to break away from here"_

"Is something wrong big brother?" Rolo asked out of the blue. "You look rather serious"

"Oh it's nothing" he replied surprisingly well. "It's just that this Zero character is making a big debut again" he quickly showed everyone the front page where Zero's face was plastered. "That would probably make him the 5th one this month"

"Yeah, but I bet he's nothing more but another fake" Rivalz replied holding the fork between his mouth. "The other Zeros never lasted more than two weeks so I'd give this guy about three days before he gets caught"

"But they say that he's already hiding in Japan" Shirley added. "It'll be hard for the military to capture him in another country"

"Oh yeah… that's true"

"But in either case. He's still a wanted criminal" Lelouch stated as he shifted the papers. "Thanks to him, Prince Schneizel had to make a public apology to Japan and give them an economy package to replace the damage done by Princess Guinevere"

"But it can't be the real Zero, can it?"

"I don't know" the boy shrugged. "He sounds pretty legit to me. It's even stated here that those who were imitating Zero in different 'Areas' are now admitting that they are not. They're probably afraid that this Zero might be the real one and I agree with them. I mean… who else could've pulled that kind of stunt off? Crushing a whole fleet with just one move"

"Yeah, it was so real that it was scary" Milly nodded in agreement. "I just hope they catch him soon so we can go back to our peaceful lives"

"With you around, I doubt peace is the last thing we'll see" the gang let out a small laugh which seemed to have lighten the mood a little. Even Rolo himself was a little humored seeing that Milly herself was a lady of parties and never once did she thought about having a normal quiet day. But just as he laughed he spilled some soup on his mouth.

"Oh…"

"Oh, not again" Lelouch smiled affectionately to him before grabbing the napkin from the table. "You don't have to laugh and eat at the same time Rolo. You're going to get your shirt dirty"

As the gang saw the affectionate touch of Lelouch some began to wonder how much Lelouch had been dosing his brother. "You know Lulu, you spoil your brother too much" Milly stated with a small huff. "He's a big boy already"

"Hmm? Do you think so?" Lelouch questioned.

Rivalz agreed jokingly. "Yeah, now that you mentioned it, you do a lot of things for him. Back when Rolo was having a hard time in Home Economics class, you helped him bake those cranberry pies. They were delicious by the way"

"Oh right" Shirley clasped her hands together. "And remember that time when Rolo had a hard time trying to ride a horse as a favor to the equestrian club? Lulu even canceled out on his gambling match just to help you out"

"Oh~~~ how about that adorable time when you were depressed about losing that locket of yours?" Milly recalled a certain event a few months back. "You lost that locket that Lulu gave to you because you went running through the hall in school. You were so depressed about it you locked yourself in your room. And Lulu came all the way back from his camping trip on that day and played blanket buddy with you just to cheer you up"

"How about the time when Lulu cut his hair?" Rivalz laughed on that one.

Rolo immediately blushed and looked like he was madly embarrassed. "Agh! You… you saw that!?"

"Oh yeah" Milly laughed. "It was so cute the way you blushed at your brother. It was so adorable I wanted to take a picture of it"

"Hmm… maybe your right" Lelouch finally sigh. "Maybe I am spoiling him a bit. Perhaps I should spoil you instead, Milly…" the girl in question stopped her laugh and blushed just as red as Rolo was. "Ahaha… I'm kidding. There's no reason to my words so seriously" but in the boy's mind he was actually thinking differently. _"How excellent. The reports in the journal was correct after all. First I'll get Rolo onto my side… afterward…… the rest of the OSI. This battle is almost too easy for my taste…"_

**(Japan) (Government capital)**

Zero walked into his room that morning after a long day's meeting at the government council. He had improved the production of the country by fifteen percent and made plans on agriculture plantation using irrigation from the mountain water veins. Using the battle plans from the Original Zero's operation on the Narita mountains, they were able to use that abundance water resource to supply the inland with fresh clean water without using any more expenditures on pipelines.

To say the least, with Zero's help the country itself was on the road to a Golden Age and it only took one man to make a difference here.

"Haa…" the man inside the mask sighed out before taking off his helmet and allowing his blonde hair to fly freely. "Man I'm beat"

"You're too careless…" came Jeremiah's voice as he came from the bathroom door. "Taking off your mask while not even making sure that the area is secure. (J… Jeremiah…?) If someone else were here you would have to dispose of that person since you don't have the 'unique' talent like his highness"

"Y… yeah… sorry" Elie lowered himself. "But being Zero isn't exactly as easy as I thought it would. Pretending to be a charismatic leader takes a lot off me. I wonder how his majesty keeps his cool all the time"

"It takes years of practice" C2 answered. "Unlike you who only had the mask for a few weeks, Prince Lelouch, was able to master the art of deceit when he was but a child" she was sitting on the chair looking straight into Zero's personal computer. "Also… you need to experience horrors beyond your wildest dreams"

Elie sighed and found that he could not fight against them in a battle of words. "Yeah I guess so. But I'm not really complaining. Having the power of Zero really is a wonderful feeling. It's as if you hold all the power in the world at the palm of your hands. Wherever I go, people bow at me like I'm some kind of god. Heh… but I guess the figure of Zero is something that's close to a god, isn't it?"

"Don't get cocky with it" Jeremiah warned. "You don't have the rights to wear that mask just yet. You're only playing stand in for master Lelouch. Once he's restored to his rightful place you're coming back to being my partner. Don't let all that power get to your head and consume you. Power is meant to wield by the user… not the other way around"

"I understand…" Elie then took a seat on the couch and groaned. "Anyway, the next phase of the plan has been achieved. We can step in any time his majesty wants us to. Rakshata and Lloyd have been quite busy preparing our fleet. The new aerial combat carrier is already on its final stages and the new models that were in design have already passed through test phase. What's the status of our troops?"

"Pathetic" the man said bluntly. "The new recruits are better off used as cannon fodder and meat shields. They only know the basics of piloting Knightmares and some barely even know how to command the basic interface. They're complete amateurs not worthy of his lordship's command"

"Even if that's the case, it's the best Japan has to offer us" Elie replied looking a bit down himself. "The Black Knights have the best technology half the world could offer, but what they lack are real soldiers in training. The only skilled fighters here are Tohdoh and his men and Kallen and the Zero Squad. The Original members passed for battlefield officers but that's about it. We can't squeeze anymore from this country or else it'll prove difficult for them to recover"

"Then we'll just have to settle with a force of militia" Jeremiah grunted. "If Britannia knew how weak we were they wouldn't hesitate to attack. The only reason why we were able to achieve victory was through his majesty's divine intervention"

"That's true" Elie then put on his mask once again and inhaled the aroma which was Zero. "But if that's how the world stands then we'll have to move quickly. His majesty's dream of a new world… will be realized"

"And the birth of the Black Empire will come to fruition as his majesty predicted"

"A country with and without change. Heh… I'm actually looking forward to it"

"Sounds like you two are having fun" C2 added looking at Lelouch's loyal guards as they discussed their plans in such a professional manner. "I guess Lelouch was right in choosing you two to carry out this task. Creating an army while he deals with the issue happening in Britannia. The ability to be in two places at the same time"

"It's a sound strategy to fool the enemy" Zero nodded. "Which reminds me. Monica has given her report in Burma. We have a lab set up there and in other different countries as well. I'm sending Lloyd and two of the new Knightmares to be developed there"

Jeremiah then quirked a brow. "Why?"

"It's to keep the secrecy of the project" was his answer. "If Britannia discovers the plans of our latest weapon, the Black Empire will be in jeopardy. I cannot allow progress to be hampered just because our agents can't work up to my standards. Once his majesty assumes the post of Zero, I'll join them to ensure the plan remains hidden. I don't know how long it will take his majesty to bring down the OSI but as long as he is there, our plans here are at stake. We can't make any sudden moves until then"

**(Ashford University) (Pendragon – Britannia) (The next day)**

It was P.E. time.

The least favorite class in which Lelouch would want to attend especially on a hot day like this. Sweating and beating up and working out wasn't the thing for a boy of his caliber with a mind of a dictator. Running around laps was too much for him and playing basketball or any other sport for that matter would drain his fatigue rather quickly. Push-ups and sit-ups were also out of his league. The most he could do right now is simply take it slow by walking around in school.

"All right keep this up!" Villetta barked out after she blew on her whistle. The P.E. class was playing volleyball. Boys and girls were separate so Lelouch had to bear with it. "The Junior regional will be coming here in two weeks time. I want you guys sharpened up as best you can! I won't take no for an answer!"

"Yes ma'am!" the boys and girls yelled back.

But even though they were all playing cheerfully as ever, Lelouch had a different purpose in mind. _"The student council doesn't seem to be aware of the OSI's presence in school ground so there are no connections to them. I'll have to find out which of them is an agent sooner or later. If I remain as I am, Britannia will conquer Japan and I'll have to start from scratch all over again. Elie should be able to handle raising an army with the Black Knights and my plans shouldn't be changed. The only obstacle now is the OSI. But I can't bring my friends into this fold. If I do… then I'm no better than…"_

"Lelouch! Look out!" a voice sprung the boy from his daze when he noticed the opposing player smashed the ball a little harder than usual and slammed it right on to his face.

The ball connected and before they knew it, Lelouch fell to the ground with a giant red mark with black lines crossing through his face. "Ow……" was the only thing he could say when he felt his nose bleed.

Villetta noticed this and quickly she sighed. "Not again. Lelouch, are you alright?"

The boy raised his head with the aid of his friend and nodded. "Y… yeah… I'm fine. Ah… my nose is bleeding…"

"That an't good" Rivalz concluded. "Hey coach, mind if I take Lelouch to the infirmary? I don't think he'll be able to play again"

She sighed again. "Fine. I'll admit that you lasted a bit longer today. But come back to class the moment you feel better"

"Yes ma'am"

And when both Lelouch an Rivalz were out of sight Villetta couldn't help but be a bit curious. So far the Zero in Japan was still active and giving out speeches just like the original Zero used to do. His plans were astounding and confirming with the intelligence sector that spied in Japan, they were beginning to believe that this Zero was the real deal.

But every member of the OSI knew that Lelouch was the real Zero. The emperor said it so himself and Villetta confirmed it with her own eyes during her stay in Area 11 a year ago. But now… she was beginning to have doubts.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Lelouch came to the infirmary, the nurse there wasn't surprise to actually see him. The boy was usually here on several occasions. Either it was to fake illness to get out of class or intentionally injure himself to get out of P.E. It wasn't unusual and the nurse was beginning to think that he was already a common customer in these parts. The nurse wasn't a lot older than the students here. She was probably in her early 20s and graduated from college earlier than most people.

After the boy arrived with a bleeding nose, the nurse quickly administered him a few tissue to keep the blood from pouring and told him to tilt his head upward so that his blood wouldn't flow any more than it needs to.

"There we go…" she stated as she looked at Lelouch's nose. "The bleeding should stop in a few minutes. It's a good thing that it was only a volleyball, a basketball has a tendency to break one's nose completely. Just keep your tissue in and hold it there"

"Yes ma'am…" he replied boringly before turning to his friend. "Thanks for bringing me here Rivalz. I'll be fine"

"Alright if you say so" the boy returned a smirk. "Just one day and already you got yourself injured. The week hasn't even started yet. I gotta say that this is a new record. Well I gotta get back anyway. I'll tell Rolo where you're at after lunch. Later"

"Later" the boy then left the room from the automated door and after a few minutes, his footsteps were all but gone. "Ha…"

"That's a good friend you have there" the nurse added with a small heartwarming smile. "You should cherish your friendship or else you won't advance in life and society hmm hmm hmm"

"You think so? (Yup!) I guess you have your way of viewing life as it is" Lelouch looked at the ceiling for a moment and took a sniff to hold the blood in. But just as he was about to act on his little nap on that bed, he quickly put his plan into motion. "Oh crud… not again" he 'accidentally' dropped his tissue to the floor and groaned. "I'm sorry. Could you pick up that for me please"

"Oh, of course…"

But when the nurse turned to face him, Lelouch removed the contact lenses from his eye and activated his Geass. **"Now, obey me and follow my orders…"**

The bird like sigil moved in an unnatural way from his eyes and slowly the nurse was immediately hypnotized by the power of absolute obedience. "Yes… of course. What may I do for you, my lord?"

"_Good. My powers haven't waned one bit"_ Lelouch smirked happily to know the specs of his weapon hasn't changed all that much. _"The infirmary shouldn't be having any security cameras since it's off limits to students and the nurses themselves" _as his eyes darted to the nurse he began a small series of questions. "Answer my questions. How old are you?"

"I'm 23 years old" she replied in a hypnotized state. "I'll be turning 24 by next month this year…"

"Where do you come from and where do you live?"

"I was raised in a small village called Delamede from North-West of Forwood near Hollington. But I am currently staying in a small apartment at the residential district: Old President Rd. 33/12 Room number: 233 at the second floor of the building. I came here to apply as a hospital nurse to help my sick uncle but there were none who would accept me. So I applied as a school nurse instead"

"I see… a likely story…" Lelouch grunted. "Commoners from far away provinces aren't always accepted here unless you have an academic degree am I correct? (Yes…) That's why you applied as a school nurse instead. How sad. But in any case. (sigh) Give me the list of every member of the OSI agent that is currently watching over me"

But not to his surprise, the girl simply opened her mouth but no words came out. It was as if she was mute or something. "I……"

"_Damn… another dead end"_ the dark lord groaned annoying at his feet. _"I can't go on like this. I've already Geassed eight of the school faculties including teachers and janitors alike but none of them are part of the OSI. If this goes on, they'll eventually figure that out that I've regained my memories. Tch… I guess I have no choice. I'll have to go through extreme measures if I want things to go my way. Today will have to work"_ quickly thinking of a plan to get back at the OSI, Lelouch let out a small grin to himself before turning his attention to the nurse. "Alright then. Ms. Paulina. (Yes?) **You will now work for me… every order I give will be followed to every extent. Understand?"**

"Of course… as you wish… my master" when the Geass around her eyes finally vanished, the nurse's face suddenly began to blush when she realized the distance between herself and Lelouch. "W… wha? Oh my… I'm sorry. I must've dosed off there for a second. My mind just snapped shut"

"That's alight. It can happen to anyone" Lelouch smiled.

**(2 hours later) (Lelouch's private room)**

Lelouch let out a sigh as he entered his room. With classes finally done he was able to relax and enjoy the day better than most. After he had Geassed the faculties of the school he had been no closer to bringing the OSI into his web than before. He had wasted an entire day and he got himself a splitting headache just to get that nurse to join him. "Another one in the bag…" he said to himself. _"My sleeping army is almost complete. Now that half of the faculty of the school has been bent to my will, they will serve as my reserve force just in case"_

Even though he wasn't able to get any new information and got his nose crushed by a volley ball he planned to get them all later by tomorrow. "Lelouch!!!" or maybe not…

"Yes?" he recognized the annoying voice to be Milly's. Only she would be daring enough to come to his room and knock at it so violently. Anyone who knew of his status would be polite and formal but not her. Formalities to friends were the last thing in her mind.

"Shirley and the others want to go shopping today. Wanna come with us?"

He was about to say no when suddenly a plot came to his mind. An opportunity to go to the mall with his friends was indeed something he wouldn't waste. "Shopping? What for?"

"Just stuff" was her usual answer. Whenever she mentions 'stuff' it usually revolves around girly stuff to food stuff or just plain old stuff that you would stuff your nose into kinda stuff. "We're leaving in a few minutes. Rolo's coming along too" and when she means coming along she probably meant 'forced to come with or else…'.

"Alright fine" he answered finally after a sigh. "Just let me get dressed for a minute. I'll meet you by the gate" as he saw her gone, Lelouch couldn't help but smirk. The plan of taking down his enemy might actually be easier than he thought it would be… and he hardly needed to put any effort into it.

**(Pendragon Royal Palace)**

Charles Zi Britannia stood tall and strong in the great hallway of the royal palace. Though his presence was dominating like all emperors before him he had the respect of the people around him. His tactical thinking were up to date and usually he would be testing them out with Schneizel on a game of chess or a game of words. But nowadays he rarely spends time on the chess table and even less time with his people. He constantly disappears from time to time and whenever he returned he would usually let his children do all the work for him.

Whatever dark secrets he was hiding, it was definitely not for the benefit of the world.

Today he was accompanied by Suzaku Kururugi, the Knight of Seven who returned from the E.U. front by the emperor's orders. Though he would much rather be on the frontlines, he could not simply ignore the direct orders from his majesty himself.

"It would seem that somebody has been nibbling at the bait…" the emperor stated as Suzaku joined him on the stroll down the hallway.

The boy's attention spurred suddenly when the word 'bait' came into light. "Is it C2, your majesty?"

"We do not know that" he answered plainly. "It only seems to be an attack of terrorists. There's no need to worry, they were all exterminated by our forces"

"Were any of the terrorists among them a member of the Black Knight?"

"No. They were all eradicated during their final charge to breakthrough our lines. None were left to be interrogated so we can't tell if any of them were under the control of Geass or an enemy" as they came upon a large gate, the emperor held his hand forward to touch it. "Kururugi. Even among the Knights of the Round, you are the first one ever allowed to enter this place. Even Schneizel and the others are aware of this hallway"

"I'm honored your majesty. But… why me?"

"Because you are unique. (Huh?) You are neither a Japanese now nor you are a Britannian. You simply deny those titles and choose to become a man without a country. A wanderer, a hermit…"

"I… I see……"

"Tell me something Suzaku…" Charles hinted. "Why did you choose to become a knight under my service? Japan is now free. If you simply ask of it, you can be reborn there as an entirely new person"

Suzaku slowed his pace and lowered his head looking directly at his feet. "I don't want to live there. That Japan was built on the blood of innocents and the lies of a madman. The people walk freely around it not knowing whose lives were taken. I want to build a Japan made of smiles and laughter… like the one Princess Euphemia envisioned"

"And that… is another reason why I allowed you entry to this place" the emperor grinned. "It is because you know…… about Zero's identity and Geass itself"

Upon arrival, Suzaku suddenly noticed that the hallway they were in had suddenly disappeared. It was as if that door they took was a gateway to another area completely. "T… this place…? Is it some kind of shrine or an altar?"

"No… it's not" Charles answered as his eye gaze upon the bright sun above him. "This is… this is a weapon… for destroying god. (A weapons?) Yes. It is called… the Sword of Akasha. It will give birth to a new world… a world where even you Suzaku… can find a peace of mind"

**(Pendragon State mall)**

Lelouch, Rolo and their friends laughed along together as they entered the Pendragon State Mall. It was supposedly the largest mall in the entire city. It welcomed customers whether they be commoners or nobles. For as long as they have money, they were always welcomed. Lelouch of course was one of many frequent visitors here other than Milly herself so the staff of the mall recognized them almost immediately.

The first two hours were indeed spent shopping around. It didn't matter where they went, the gang always end up laughing. Before the group always go anywhere inside the mall they would decide where to go first by playing a game of rock paper scissors. The winner of the game will get to choose where to go first and the second winner will choose next and so on.

You could say that it was the usual tradition of theirs.

On the first thought, Milly chose to get the gang to a shoe store where she selected all the latest designs. Lelouch and Rivalz simply sighed in boredom since men of their caliber can never truly understand why women spend so much time trying to find clothes for their feet. Their motto would be 'If you can wear it then wear it!'.

After the next hour, Shirley chose to get her nails done in a manicure store.

Again… the boys didn't understand why…

When finally came Rivalz turn, he choose to go to the arcade and try to set up a new record on the machines up top. Racing games were always on his forte but Lelouch can always beat him in mind games.

After they had finished all of their evening activities, the gang decided to take a little break at the coffee shop at the fifth floor of the mall. The coffee shop was named 'Ethiopia' coined from the name of the Ethiopians, the ancestors of Oromo people who were the first to discover coffee's energizing effects.

The shop was stationed on the bridge that overlooked the lower floors making it the perfect place to hang out and gaze at the great view below them.

"Well that was fun" Milly said happily with a bright sunny smile on her face. "I got two new pairs of shoes, a new blouse and even a new skirt. I can't wait to try them all when I get home"

"Yeah I agree" Shirley nodded. "That was probably the best shopping we've done in months. I almost forgot how it feels like to do this. It really got my mind off that Zero guy"

"And I got to settle my score with Racebound 4!" Rivalz cheered pumping his hand up in the air. "That'll show those game designers back home that they'll have to make an even better game if they want to give a challenge to Rivalz Cardemonde, the ultimate racer in the whole wide world!"

"I don't get you guys" Shirley pouted. "What's so fun about beating the high score of a simple game like that?"

"It's a long term plan actually" Lelouch answered back who was sadly the person who had to carry all of Milly's luggage. "He's winning all the games because there's an after-reward for it. If Rivalz beat three more games he'll have his name printed on a silver bar and posted at the door to the rest room"

Shirley looked back at them in disgust. "Ewww… what's so fun about that?"

Rivalz pumped up his fists again. "It's not about the fun! It's about the pride, the honor and the two months worth of gloating to all my friends!!!"

The other girls simply turn their heads to Lelouch who simply shrugged off. "Don't look at me. I don't find it attractive either"

"Well, I guess everyone has their own opinion in life" Milly sighed before suddenly remembering an important event happening in a few days. "Ah crud!" she slapped her head a little too hard leaving a small mark there. "I almost forgot! It's Ms. Villetta's birthday next week and we haven't even bought her a gift yet!"

"Oh right…" Rivalz nodded. "How old is she by the way?"

"Shirley, you should probably be the one who gets her a gift and say it's from all of us"

"Huh!?" the girl in question pointed at herself. "Me? Why should I be the one who buys it?"

"Because you're the one who gets her mad all the time" she reminded. "You keep nagging her of joining the swimsuit café that she got pissed. You even tried to sneak one of those super thin suits in her locker and begged her to try it"

"Ehh… ahehehehe" Shirley smiled guiltily. "I guess you got me there. But what should I buy? It's not like I know her or anything. She's very shut as a in person from time to time. None of the staff even know where she lives"

"_I see… so that explains why none of the staff I've interrogated have worked" _Lelouch nodded with satisfied with the new information he was able to gather. But just as she looked from the corner of his eye, he noticed two overly normal people sitting by the bench reading at the newspaper. But there was something particularly off from them. The newspaper one of them was holding seemed to have been from yesterday. _"Ah… a few agents have finally gathered. How excellent"_ as he turned around he noticed three more of the OSI disguised operatives muttering to one another near a window area of a store. The thing that gave them off was that they seemed to be more focus on their reflection rather than the products that were being put on display there to catch the attention of the customers.

"How about cigar?" Rivalz suggested. "I hear that she loves them"

But Milly rejected it. "Nah that's too much. Besides, I doubt it'll look suspicious if someone sees students buying cigars here of all places"

"Yeah you're right"

"Why don't we go there for a change?" Lelouch called out to them while pointing at a wine shop at the end of the bridge. "I remember seeing Ms. Villetta enjoying liquor during the renaissance ball last month. I can't really remember what brand it was though"

"Hey that's a great idea!" Shirley clasped her hand together. "Can you help me pick it out? I'm never really good with wines except tasting it bit by bit from home"

"Sure" Lelouch agreed before intentionally unloading all of Milly's purchased goods to Rivalz. "Here Rivalz, you hold on to these. (Huh?) Rolo, can you order decaf coffee for me? This might take awhile so you guys go on ahead and drink up"

"Uh… sure…" Rolo replied with a small nod.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the two students entered the wine shop, the store clerk immediately recognizes Lelouch. "Master Lamperouge, welcome once again to the Chartreuse Liquor store. Would you like me to fetch your usual order my lord?" the place was filled with a large selection of wine that even Lelouch himself couldn't count them all.

"No that's ok" Lelouch waved her off with his usual lady killer smile to which the girl squealed in sight. "I'm actually here to buy a gift for my teacher. What wine would you recommend?"

"Of course my lord, allow me to bring you a selection" the clerk bowed before heading off to the back where the 'special' products were hidden only for especially rich customers. But when she was gone, Shirley couldn't help but notice how popular Lelouch was. Every time she traveled with him everyone from almost every store seems to know him. The commoners usually bow in fear or send a glare of anger against nobleman of his status but the boy seemed to be getting the gentler kind of treatment from them. Some would wave and some would even call him by his proper name with joy.

"Wow Lelouch, you sure are popular" she said out finally.

"You think so?" the boy raised a brow. "I didn't notice. Maybe it's just my charm"

"Ahaha… that's such a typical answer coming from you"

A few minutes later, the clerk returned from the back with a small selection of fine wines from various countries. "Here you are my lord. We have a wide selection for you. Would you prefer the Lillet from Area 5? It's an excellent drink with salmon and other fishes"

"Actually we're just looking for regular liquor, thank you"

"I see, then how about this wonderful Ballentine's scotch whiskey? An excellent brew perfect for a celebration. We also have these new Amaretto and Advocaat from Europe. They're very limited at the moment and…"

But Lelouch stopped listening half way as he thought of his latest plan up to date. When he noticed the next customer entering the store he immediately grab one of the wine bottles and pretended to check its brewed date. In truth he was actually looking at the reflection to see the man glaring his eyes back at him. _"Bingo… an agent of the OSI. Now my plan can finally go into motion. Alright. Let's see what they're capable of"_

At the back, the OSI agent with a funny looking mustache tightened his coat to his ear piece. "Target is in the liquor store" he whispered. "No change in that. No risk of being discovered, over…"

"Understood. Anything else?" the voice on the other line which was clearly Villetta replied.

"It seems that girl Shirley Ann is with him. They don't seem to recognize me at all"

"Roger. Switch off with group 7. Group 4, watch for contact with C2"

"Yes, my lord… will do…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back outside, Rolo, Rivalz and Milly were busy off chilling back and relaxing for once. Now that they've finished their shopping spree it was time for them to kick off their shoes and get some rest and some nice warm coffee in their stomachs.

But as their order came, Rolo couldn't help but keep his eyes locked at that liquor store. It was as if his sight was glued to that position, never moving like he was expecting something big to happen. _"Hmm… could it be that he really isn't Zero?"_ he thought to himself. _"The Zero now is currently present in Japan so there's no way that he could make it all the way back here in just two hours? Could he have a body double? No that would be too easy"_

"Rolo!" Milly yelled out causing the boy to stumble and fall off his chair. "Ahaha. What's the matter? Your eyes were glued to that liquor store like a magnet"

"Oh… I was just… well umm… I uh…"

"Oh I see…" Milly purred evilly. "You're afraid that Shirley might snag your big brother away and become his girlfriend. (Wha? No!) Oh you're just like Shirley. Denying everything that we say and blushing at the same time. Oh dear, what would happen if Shirley takes away my big brother?" she stated her words in an acting tone. "If that happens, he won't spoil me like he used to and we won't be able to play blanket tag again"

"N… no it's nothing like that! It was only a one time moment!"

"Aww… if Lulu gets a girlfriend, who is going to spoon feed me those tasty treats again?"

"Ms. President!" Rolo now blushed madly. "You were supposed to keep that a secret!"

"Nah you've got it all wrong Prez" Rivalz said smugly. "I bet Rolo here has a thing for Shirley"

"No! That is not true! My heart only belongs to my…" Rolo quickly shut up to his almost slip of words. "Um…"

Milly saw this and quickly grew a grin off her face. "Aww… isn't that cute. Rolo loves his big brother so much that he doesn't want him to get a girlfriend"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back inside, Lelouch finally took up the order. "Yes, I'll take the Advocaat and the Amaretto. Please place it in my bill"

"Of course master Lelouch. As you wish" the store clerk bowed before inputting the product number into the cash register. "This will only take a moment"

"Very well. Shirley, would you mind waiting here? I'm going to check if they have something new in stock. It'll only take a minute"

"Huh? Oh sure, I'm fine with it"

And with that Lelouch slowly made his way through the rack and checked through some of the bottles to make the act more believable. But as he got closer to the OSI agent he slowly noticed him scooting a few feet away like he was trying to keep distance. When Lelouch got into position he was certain that the man was an agent. The ear piece in his ear was small enough to be hidden from the regular eyes, but for those who knows its specs can tell that it was there with a simple glance.

"_Hmm… this should be simple enough"_ Lelouch thought to himself before taking out another bottle and checking its brewed date. _"They specifically set a trap at Matoir mall… which means my enemy isn't the government but the OSI itself. While I can't tell which of them are agents their system they're using, itself has flaws in it. Excellent. With this, my plan is solidified. Three elements will be needed for creating chaos. First…… the instigator…"_ when the boy turned his eye to the undercover agent, he let out a friendly smile to catch him off guard.

"Uhh… can I help you?" the agent stated a bit unaccustomed to speaking with the target.

"Sorry" Lelouch apologized. "I couldn't help but notice that wine you're holding. It's a 1985 Gammel Dansk, isn't it? I hear that it was pretty popular in Denmark"

"Uh… oh yes… I see…"

"You have good taste. I was hoping to get one of them since I heard it from a friend. Do you mind if I have a look?"

The man, jerk back a little but saw that there was no need to be so unfriendly to such a boy. "Um… sure. Here you go" but just as he hand him over the bottle, Lelouch slowly remove his contact lenses and glared onto the bottle to give his next command.

"Oh I'm sorry, **do you mind listening to me for a moment?"** he stated first. The moment his eye sigil controlled the man's mind Lelouch grew out a wide grin.

"Yes of course. Go ahead" the man replied now completely bent on his will.

"It's quite simple really. The moment you see me leave this store, you will recognize and acknowledge anyone next to me as C2… and then…"

**(3 minutes later)**

"Thank you for shopping at Chartreuse" the clerk bowed as she handed the shopping bag to Shirley who gladly took it. "Please come again"

"Of course" she bowed back before turning her attention to Lelouch. "Hey Lulu, our order is done. Come on"

"Right" the boy smiled back pleasantly.

Lelouch and Shirley left the store and soon rejoined with their friends not long afterwards. Their little snack was common and nothing out of the ordinary. But little did they know that their little night out was going to take a turn for the most exciting one yet.

"So what do you guys wanna do now?" Rivalz asked a bit bored. "Wanna buy a new movie and watch it at Lelouch's place? We can all chip in for the popcorn and drinks"

"Oh that's a great idea" Milly as usual, agreed to any excuse to enter Lelouch's place. "I hear they have that new creepy movie about a giant wasp coming down to kill everyone"

"Absolutely not!" Lelouch declined with his hand raised in the air. "We're not going to watch a movie at my place. Not after what happened during the last times that you've been there. I had to clean up the mess in the morning, Rolo was too scared to go back to his room after a scary movie and one time you all crashed in my place and spilled grape juice over my notes"

"Aww come on. It wasn't that bad"

"You mean not bad for you"

"Oh come on" Milly teased. "It'll just be one time. How often do you have all your friends and family in your place?"

"It's constant. It's supposed to be my room, you should all respect my privacy"

"I guess you'll have to check that calculation again Lulu" Shirley chuckled. "Privacy and Milly doesn't really go together"

"That's right. Majority rules!" Milly proclaimed. "We're going to rent a movie and watch it at Lelouch's place! Come on everyone!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the secret command base of the OSI, Villetta issued her commands to her agents on the field. "Target is moving. All units go on standby"

"Yes, my lord"

"Group 2, follow Lelouch as you were"

"…"

"Hmm? Group 2, respond"

"Huh?" the man on the other line snap. "Oh right. Sorry ma'am, I'm on it" the man who was put in a trance quickly rushed out of the wine shop and began following Lelouch and his group in a relatively safe distance.

"Commander" came another agent on the com. "Target is now entering 4-T. It's a small video shop. There's a small risk I'll blow my cover if I go in"

"Alright, you cover the front. I'll send group 4 to cover the rear entrance of the shop"

"Understood my lord…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Lelouch and his friends arrive at a video shop near the elevators leading to the lower floors, he suddenly noticed the man he Geassed earlier enter the very same store. He didn't look suspicious but in any case, it was the best solution. _"Good. Right on schedule. All tasks at hand have been cleared. The second element to creating chaos now… is the misunderstanding and miscommunication"_

"Hey Lulu" Shirley perked in from his side as she showed him a video she picked. "Have you watched this before? I heard that it was a classic back in my mother's days but I'm not sure if we should be watching old movies like these. Milly will probably say that I'm old fashion and…"

"You shouldn't care what other people think about you. (Huh?)" Lelouch said in his polite tone. "If you really want to watch it then you shouldn't worry. No one will judge"

"I uh…… yeah… you're probably right" she blushed slightly at him. "I should probably buy it. Oh and how about this one?"

But just when things were going smoothly for the young couple who were picking out the movies they wish to watch back home, the agent that followed them suddenly red rings around his eyes. Before he knew it, C2 was standing right in front of him. Upon reaction to the sight of their primary objective he quickly hushed over his ear piece and contacted his superiors. "This is group 2. I've spotted primary target! I repeat, I spotted C2!"

Villetta's voice perked up at this and quickly began scouring the cameras. "What!? Where?!"

"She's standing near the bait! I repeat, she's situated near the bait. Should I move in and apprehend?"

"Negative. Wait for reinforcements. All units, converge on the video store immediately! Surround the shop on all sides and await further orders! Under no circumstances are you to move without command. Get me a camera online now! Confirm C2's position"

"There's only one camera in the video store ma'am" the com officer stated. "It's only overlooking the cash register so we can't get a good picture of her"

"Tch…… what lousy security this mall has"

About 5 minutes later, Lelouch and Shirley went to the cash register to purchase the videos they picked from the selection. As usual, the clerk recognized Lelouch since he was quite popular among the commoners.

"Shirley" the boy called out. "Why don't you go look for Rivalz and the others? We already bought the movies that they were looking for so we might as well head back before they buy the same ones we have now"

"Oh right. Sure. I'm right on it"

With Shirley now off from earshot, the dark lord was now ready to commence his final phase of his elaborate plan. While he waited for the cashier to finish counting the changes, he gazed onto the three entrances around him and smiled softly. A large number of people seemed to be gathering at the store and with a simple glance of their expressions, they could easily be differentiated from the civilians as OSI agents.

"_Now all the actors have assembled. The only thing required now is the detonator"_

"Excuse me" the cashier spoke. "Here's your change and your receipt sir. We hope you come again"

Lelouch took the money and slowly flash a hearty smile. "Thank you. I will…… but before I go off, **would you mind doing a favor for me?"** he remove his contact lenses and used his Geass to give one direct order to her.

"Yes, of course. What may I do for you?"

"**Well it's like this you see…"**

As Lelouch continued to put his plan in motion, the Geassed agent slowly made his way to Shirley whom he thought was C2. He also noticed that his comrades had already arrived blocking all exits and entrances to the shop. "Primary target is now alone. Requesting permission to apprehend" he requested now anxiously wanting to attack.

"Stand down group 2" Villetta ordered. "Going in now will only compromise our operation. Wait for team 4 and 5 to back you up"

"Lulu!" Shirley called out. "Come on, let's go!" Seeing the boy slowly approaching (C2), the man decided to take the chance and tackle her. "Ahhh! Hey! What are you!?"

"I've got her!" the agent yelled out.

"Let go of me! Help!"

"Shirley!" Lelouch barked out in his acting mode. "Get away from her!" _"Damn… she wasn't supposed to be the target!"_ He tried to help her but due to his physically weak body, he was easily taken down. "Ooof!"

"Get out of the way, boy!"

But as the tension grew higher, Lelouch quickly resorted to better tactics. "Damn it. Security! There's a criminal here! (What!?) Someone help!" immediately, two security officers entered the store and began tackling the man out. _"Excellent. One more move to go"_

As the officers tried their best to take the assaulter down, the agent quickly began barking. "Hey! Don't touch me! Do you know who I am!? I am member of the Office of Secret Intelligence! Get off me!"

"The OSI?" one of the officers questioned. "Yeah right! Save it for the judge"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Villetta saw one of her agents fall to his demise, she slammed her hand right onto the table spilling the coffee she was drinking earlier. "Damn it! That imbecile! What in the world does he think he's doing!? All units, locate C2! Does anyone see her!?"

"No ma'am. There are too many customers to tell who's who" the man replied on the other line of the com channel. "The bait is moving out with the others. No sign of C2 yet but we'll keep searching"

"Agent Joe has been apprehended by the mall security" one of the com staff stated. "What should we do ma'am? Shall I get team 4 to assist?"

"No… if we get ourselves tangled in this, Lelouch might suspect something. Tell them to fall back but keep all eyes peeled on the entrance. She may be wearing a disguise so look for anyone that comes close to the description. And have (scream!!) What the?"

"They have guns!" the store clerk screamed out suddenly as she pointed her finger on one of the agents.

"Crap!!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the officers noted the men with weapons, the quickly upholstered their pistols from their pockets and demanded them to surrender. "Freeze! Don't move or we'll be forced to shoot!" the agents gritted their teeth together, unable to take action against the public security force. If they fire, their cover would surely be blown but if they don't fire, they'll be arrested and interrogated by the police.

"Don't move!" Shirley turned around to see an officer who was brave enough to order them around even though he was seriously outnumbered. "Put down your weapons and put your hands behind your head" it was a standard thing to do even at this situation. Right after he made his demand, the officer slowly took out his radio to contact the security office. "This is 2nd floor patrol unit, Mike. Requesting backup at the One Stop video store. Several armed suspects have been sighted"

"Roger that, backup is on the way. Standby"

But while everyone was focusing their attention on the situation at hand, none of them were able to notice Lelouch slowly making his way towards the fire alarm bell. After he made sure that there was no wandering eyes on him he gladly punch the alarm and grinned mischievously to the crowd.

"_And now. The third element of chaos…… the conflict"_

When the alarm sounded out, a series of screams and yells occurred from the panicked citizens who were already on the verge of cracking. When the agents heard it, one of them accidentally pulled out his gun which provoked the officer to shoot.

"STOP!"

Bang!

The officer took his best shot and killed the man right on the spot. With that little drastic action orchestrated by the mind of the dark lord, it paved the agents to their animal instinct of self preservation.

"AHHH!!!!"

"Terrorist!!"

"What!? Terrorists!?"

"Let's get out of here!"

"Everyone, run for it!"

'Dying for another is a lie. In the end, self preservation compels man to kill or be killed'

-G.L- (I have no idea what the initials mean)

"W… what's happening!?" the pinned agent of the OSI widened his eye. "What the hell!?"

When Rivalz caught sight of this he quickly looked around for his friends. "W… what's going on!? Prez, let's get out of here!"

"Damn it we have no choice!" the senior OSI agent barked out. "Everyone, discharge weapons now!"

And within that split moment, the battle between the OSI and the security officers of the mall came to be. The agents were surrounded on all sides but they outnumbered the guards by a small margin. Gun shots were exchanged among the two sides and civilians that just so happened to get caught in the crossfire were wounded in the process.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alarms of different kinds and different annoying sounds began ringing around the OSI office. Ever since the first shot was fired, every com officer had been going around in a hectic situation. Papers were flying everywhere and everyone was speaking all at once making it difficult for Villetta to decipher who was saying what.

"We've lost the target, my lord!!"

"What should we do about the info we got from scorpion!?"

"Agent Joe has been killed! One of the officers shot him!"

"Group 5 is pinned down by security! Group 1, move in to assist!"

"Where's Rolo!?" Villetta asked out trying to look as calm as possible.

"All cell phone calls are being jammed to maintain civic order!"

"My lord, should we act on scorpion's info or not!?"

Unable to take it any longer, the woman finally stood up from her seat and ran off. "Very well I'll go there myself! Have the police surround the complex! Get a chopper on the roof on the double and get me a fire team! Have all units withdraw to their escape routes!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the firefight grew larger and larger by the minute, Lelouch couldn't help but laugh while his eyes darted to the many screams and cries of the people. "Britannians killing Britannians. What a sight to see. Oh how I wish I could record this moment. In due time, all the OSI agents will all be dead and if I can get a list of casualties I can make a pattern to their group and round them all off all at once"

**(Ashford University) (OSI secret base)**

Rolo returned to school not long after the gang returned back. Though the student council members were able to get back safely, Lelouch somehow got separated from the gang which prompted Rolo to think that he may have gone elsewhere.

"What's his location!?" he demanded upon entering the control room of the base. But later to find it to be abandoned. "No one's here. Where are they? This can't be right. Did Ms. Villetta ordered everyone to go and search for him?" but before he could turn around or even pick up his cell phone to call his teammates, the cold mortal shell of a familiar pistol clicked onto his head. "Ugh…"

"If you're looking for the officers that were left to command in this room, then there's no need to worry" Lelouch was the one who pointed the gun at him. "I've already put them under my spell and they are now working for me like slaves"

"I see…" Rolo replied not one bit phased by the situation. "So… you really have awakened"

"Yes…"

"But how did you do it? Our security system was perfect"

"It was difficult at first but in the end, I had to make a move against you" Lelouch explained feeling a bit good to gloat about his victory. "I put the man that followed me in the wine store under my Geass, making him believe anyone near me was C2. As I thought, the capture of the witch was your top priority. After that, I hypnotized the clerk of the video store to scream and start a small situation of misunderstanding. When the guards noticed the gun they immediately thought of him as a suspect. It was within that fragile moment that everyone begins to crack. Once the fire alarm was trip, I made the shot to one of the agents with this gun making the others fight out of self defense. It was an astounding moment"

"I see. So in the process of our operation, you killed 50 of our agents and had 12 more apprehended by the police"

"Panic can easily be instigated with a small time bomb" Lelouch grinned. "But to create chaos… comes through following 3 easy steps. As of this moment, this school, this office and the whole organization of the OSI will become my personal army. A force in which will be used to topple Britannia from within. And as for you, dear brother. I'll make you my pawn… to find Nunnally" but just as the dark lord took out his lens to activate his Geass power, a sudden event occurred.

Within that split second, the bamboo and ceramic gun that he was holding vanished in thin air and Rolo who stood in front of him a second ago, disappeared. "What!?" and then suddenly, Lelouch found himself in the very situation that Rolo was in… _"It can't be……… Rolo has Geass too? You stopped time?"_

"Lelouch…" Rolo spoke as his fingers slowly squeeze on the trigger. "Now you… and you legion of evil… and your demonic eye… will die in this very room"


	15. The Rise of The Black Empire

**Chapter 15: The Rise of the Black Empire**

**(Ashford University) (OSI secret base) (Which is obviously NOT located under the library through an elevator that is NOT located behind a bookshelf of the science section which can NOT be revealed by pulling out the boring old 'Science for Idiots' book and then pushing it in a horizontal position) (Phew that was long…)**

Lelouch couldn't exactly explain how to feel in the position he was in right now but he could tell that he shouldn't be too comfortable. With a gun pointed at his head and his Geass out of range of his target he now had to rely on his wits rather than his will.

"Your Geass…" the dark lord gritted his teeth angrily. "Is the power to stop time itself?"

"I have no reason to answer you" Rolo replied not waning his position one bit. He was out of sight from Lelouch's eye so there was no way for him to be hypnotized. "The orders given to me are as follows: If Lelouch Lamperouge's memories return… if Zero is awakened… then he is to die…"

"I'll admit, you're as stubborn as you were just like my brother"

"What do you mean?"

"You're correct, Rolo. Following your objectives is your primary concern. But that doesn't help you either" Lelouch grinned as he tried to play it cool. "You'd like to kill me now but you can't… and we both know the reason why"

"Oh?"

"Yes. If I die, then you won't get either of the two things you want"

"Two things?"

"First, you won't get C2 for whom I've been the bait in your hunt. But if you let me go I can draw her out for you. I'll help you get her"

Rolo tilted his brow a bit and lowered the gun to Lelouch's neck. "You'd… sell out C2 like that?"

"She isn't worth my own life. Survival comes first"

"And what's the other thing?"

"Your life" the dark lord taunted with a snicker. "Rolo… what is the future? The future is hope. Without hope, your life is on hold. Empty, waiting… and you have no hope beyond your mission, Rolo. If you capture C2, what future will it open up for you? I wonder. Things will go on just as they are and nothing will change"

"But this is my mission" as Lelouch sensed his hesitation and knew right away that the chance of him pulling the trigger would be slim. So he turned around, facing the boy face to face. "Hold it, don't move"

"Kill me and your mission will never be completed" he spoke out in confidence. "C2 will simply find another accomplice and pass the power of Geass to that person and another Zero will be born. You want to capture C2, don't you? (Ugh…)" a grin flashed into the mind of Lelouch as he saw his pretend little brother wavering in his thoughts. "Tomorrow, I'll lure C2 out and she'll be yours. Once that's done your new future will begin. Don't worry…… I will never lie to you…… not to you anyway"

"I uh…… I… no…" but right in the moment of Rolo's indecision, a shadowed figure suddenly came in from behind covering his eyes with a headband. "Hey! What the!?" before he knew it, he was disarmed and tackled right to the ground before his Geass could activate again. "What's going on!?"

Once the gun was back in Lelouch's hand he let out a grin and nodded to his new fellow follower. "That's enough Sayoko. There's no need to be rough with him"

The ninja maid le out a quirk on her eye brow for a moment before letting the boy go free. "As you wish master" she nodded and unfolded Rolo with a swift motion of her hands.

"Gah! What… who is…"

Lelouch smirked at Rolo as he crawled on the floor like a worm that was better off crushed under a boot. He would've done so but taking such actions would only point an unwanted finger of suspicion at him. "Sorry, I nearly forgot to mention that we will be having a new maid in our private building starting today. Allow me to introduce to you, Sayoko Shinozaki, a ninja from Japan and a collaborator of the Black Knights"

"That Black Knights? Here?"

"Yes Rolo" Lelouch kneeled to the boy's level trying to make himself not look too frightening. "Even with Britannia's advance surveillance technology and tight security forces, I was able to smuggle a few of my own personal agents in here. Even as we speak, I have several agents in school searching for the OSI. Can you see now? With or without Geass, I can still fight against an invincible enemy like yourself. In a matter of hours the OSI will fall and crumble and my plan will be set into motion. Your life will be lost in the struggle and your future be snuffled out like a candle light"

The little boy as his big brother slowly approached him. The mere words he used to put him into trance became the very thing that put fear into his heart. At first he thought that he was going to use the Geass of absolute Obedience on him but soon he realized that there was no need. His sheer presence and charisma was good enough to even make him quiver.

"But there is still a way for you, Rolo" Lelouch said suddenly which perked the little boy's ears. "You still have a future. A future in which you thought was a mere lie. (Huh?) Me. I am your future. Your future… is with me…"

"Y… you? B… but why?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that" the dark master put his acting skills to the test. Once he saw Rolo quivering like a coward he knew then that the boy would believe almost anything. It was obviously psychological due to his stress and dedication to his mission. Also… according to the details written in the bait journal, Lelouch could tell that he can be easily swayed with the right motion of things he could never experience on his own. "The memories of this false life may have been implanted in me by the emperor… but the time you and I spent together… was real"

"Kh w… what are you? A… are you… you… you're saying: All the things we've done up to now. They weren't lies?"

"Because you're my little brother" Lelouch said again, putting his hands around Rolo and putting him into a soft and warm hug.

"Brother?" Rolo was puzzled, confused on the event that was taking course. He didn't know what to do. His mind was spinning and so many scenarios played out that he couldn't tell which road to take. "M… me?" he took out his cell phone and starred at the small locket that he attached it with. "That day… I've never had a birthday before… and for the first time…" his body quivered and his lips shook as if the words were breaking his very voice chords. "What about what you said that your life… was more important? Yet you risk your life to take down Britannia?"

"Yes… I know" Lelouch nodded. "Britannia will fall and I will do it no matter what the cost. But before I do that… I shall make a promise to you. I promise you a future…… and so Rolo… please… I beg of you…… let me be your future. Let my life be shared with you so we may live equally"

"I……"

And so the moment came.

Rolo's loyalty and belief was now in shambles, with the calm and cunning words put together, Lelouch now had the chance to make him, his pawn for future conquest. "From the beginning, you never felt that you belonged with Britannia. From here on out Rolo… you belong… with me…"

"Gehh haa…"

An evil grin formed around Lelouch's lips as he felt Rolo return the hug he had given him. _"Heh… he's mine now. The info in that Bait Journal had made itself useful once again. Apart from his Geass, he's nothing to me. Leaving a few pass codes here seemed very convenient. Hehehehe… trying to take Nunnally's place, you little phony. I'll use you up and then throw you away like a piece of trash. The fall of the OSI begins now!"_

**(Japan) (Government Capital) (Zero's office)**

Zero's office was grand. After everyone had acknowledged Elie's presence as the new Zero, Kaguya gave him the biggest room in the whole government capital. It was big enough to accommodate a small party and it had a great view of Tokyo itself. But such luxuries were not one for such a man of Zero for he needed no pleasure at all.

C2 stared boringly at Zero that evening. She wasn't starring because he was handsome or anything. Besides, one wouldn't know if the person was handsome hiding behind a mask. But it was because she felt looking at him working in his office. When the man took a seat on that chair of power, he began working like there was no tomorrow. He officially requested that all work loads be sent to his office and right before he knew it, he had been getting e-mails, paper works and even phone calls non-stop. He deliberately engaged with six conversations all at once. One through e-mail, another through a phone, another through a cell phone, two secretaries giving him the spill on the plans and another contacting through a video chatting system.

The man was working his ass off without a moment's break.

When the work load finally finished with the last paper stamped, the effects of all his decisions and allocations of supplies and funding took action almost immediately. The economy rose and stock market on every company have been improving exponentially.

Jeremiah on the other hand simply sipped some fresh green tea from his tea cup while waiting for him to finish. He had already finished training the new batch and they all failed miserably on his test. The pilots of the Knightmares were barely above standards and it didn't even take a genius to tell that if they fought Britannia head on, they would lose miserably. Only through the divine intervention of Zero can a glimpse chance of a victory be seen.

"Zero" all heads turned to Kallen as she entered the room with a straight face. "Sergeant Major Kallen Kouzuki, reporting sir"

Zero looked at her a bit puzzled. According to Lelouch's information, she should've been a little more casual with Zero since she admired him more than any other. A rough guess would say that she still has a hard time believing that this may be the real Zero. "What's the matter Kallen?" the masked leader questioned as he took his moment to take away from the document he was writing on. "You sound stiff. You're usually more casual than this"

"Ahm…" she gave a serious untrusting look.

"You still don't believe that I am Zero?"

"I guess it's not easy to accept it" C2 added. "It's not everyday that you have someone important to you, return from the dead"

"That's not it at all…" Kallen barked back at her. "It's just that…… I can't admit it…"

Zero chuckled inwardly to himself.

He can see right then and there why she was acting this way. The girl maybe a master in Knightmare combat, but she was so easy to read in public and in person. The reason why she didn't trust the new Zero, was because she was afraid. After looking up Kallen's medical and psychological profile and having C2 and Diethard ask around for some details, he was able to conclude her story with relative ease.

She was afraid because she failed in protecting Zero. She was unable to fulfill her duty as his Elite Guard and allowed him to be killed at Mt. Fuji. And from that day onward, she had spent weeks locked up her room crying and saying how much of a failure she was to him. How she was easily distracted and failed in her duty. That's why she was afraid, afraid of losing him again, afraid of failing their benevolent leader in that final task.

As much as Zero wanted to reassure her fears right then and there, he felt that it was not his responsibility to comfort her in this time of need. He felt that the REAL Zero should be the one who should be talking to her.

"Well then. If you're not here to pledge your loyalty to me, then what have you come to report?"

The red head shifted and slowly took out a folder from her hand. "It's the weapons detail on the Black Knights. We have over 30000 applicants trying to find a place in our group but we don't have enough space to fill them all in"

"There's no need to worry about that" Zero motioned as he took the folder from her. "I've already handpicked 1200 individuals and placed another 500 as reserves. We don't need an army, at least not yet. I've already had Tohdoh and Ohgi pick out staff leader candidates and assigned them to the Ikaruga. All that's left is to deal with the municipal leaders. I had Diethard and the intelligence section make some arrangements for it. Once we have that, all my ties to Japan will be severed and the rest we can do is wait"

"Right…"

"And what of the weapons development?" he asked.

"Rakshata gave out the plans for the construction of the new Knightmares to the Toyota industries and Mitsuoka Motors. They're done with the construction and we've loaded all units into the combat carriers"

"Excellent" Zero nodded while his eyes scanned the documents contained in the folder. _"With this, the army to fight against Britannia and the Chinese Federation is complete. His majesty should be pleased with this force. The weapons that he designed a year ago are also proceeding as scheduled. All that's left now is…"_

But he was cut off his thoughts when the speakers in his room spoke up. "Master Zero!" came Kaguya's voice. "Please come to the command room! It's urgent!" all four who were in the room at the time looked to each other for a moment wondering what the emergency could be.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When they arrived at the location, Tohdoh, Ohgi and the high members of the Black Knights were there to greet them. "What's the problem?" the masked leader asked to anyone who could provide him an answer.

The group simply replied by pointing their fingers at the large screen which seemed to be showing them a feed of a Britannian commander. The moment he caught sight of this, Zero squinted his eyes ever so slightly.

"This is General Julius Upson of the Britannian 99th Royal Division serving under the command of the 2nd Prince of the Holy Britannia Empire, Schneizel El Britannia. Under the accordance to the treaty of the Non-Aggression pact, we demand that Japanese Government surrender the fugitive and revolutionist, Zero, who is currently wanted by the empire"

**A/N: If you watch Code Geass episode: Surprise Attack in the Pacific Ocean, you'll see General Upson commanding the fleet escorting Nunnally.**

"What!?" Kallen burst out.

"As of this moment, the 99th Royal Division is stationed three miles away from Japanese waters. You will have but 24 hours to comply. If not, this incident will be considered a breach in our agreement and we will be forced to declare war. Hear this warning well. You have but 24 hours" and with that, the monitor shuts off leaving a whole country pissed off by Britannia's pathetic excuse.

"What a bunch of jerk offs!!!" Tamaki barked out throwing a can of soda at the screen. "They think they can just declare war on us just because of that! They attacked us first! They're lucky enough that we didn't declare war on them in the first place! Arghh! This so ticks me off!"

"I think Tamaki speaks for all of us" Sugiyama nodded in agreement. "The Britannians know that we're not strong enough to declare war on them so they secretly send out sneak attacks and they know that we'll just cover it up as a minor skirmish"

"What's the status of their fleet?" Ohgi asked.

"They're right where they said they were" Minami answered as changed the channel on the screen revealing one of the patrol ship's cameras. "It looks just like the fleet that we faced back in the battle of Tokyo, except larger. They got aerial force hovering the ground and amphibious units on standby"

"That's because they don't care what happens" Zero stated out suddenly which caused everyone to turn to him. "Don't you find it strange to be sending a whole armada just to arrest one man? It's already because they don't care what happens. If they don't get me, they'll simply attack… and even if they did get me they'll attack either way. Britannian nobles aren't exactly known for their truth and honesty"

"Then should we commence the plan?" Tohdoh gestured.

"Not yet. They generously gave us 24 hours to prepare. I'd say we honor their generosity and exploit it to the utmost" Zero then slowly turned to the Black Knights and gave a small sigh to the men. "You all know the mission and what is at stake here. Once the operation commences, none of you here will be able to call yourselves, Japanese any longer. Spend this time wisely because there's no turning back"

"Right…"

"Tohdoh, Ohgi, mobilize the force. Once all members are assembled we depart at once. (Right) Jeremiah, you'll be on standby as well at the Ikaruga. (Of course) Ms. Sumeragi, are the connections done?"

"Yes indeed" the girl said cheerfully as ever. "The Chinese Federation has agreed to our terms. The empress is also a good friend of mine so she was able to put in a good word for me and the United States of Japan"

"Excellent. Diethard, have the media crew ready. We'll be broadcasting this plan world wide"

"Understood"

Once everyone received their orders, Zero decided to make one last comment. "The plan will commence tomorrow at 12 midnight, straight. All members are to report to the fleet at that time and standby for further instructions. If you have any connections or ties to this land then sever them now. I do not know how long until we will be able to return. Dismiss…"

"Yes sir"

As Zero made his way to the hallway connecting to the different sections of the government capital, Jeremiah followed not far behind thinking that there was something that he needed to make sure.

"Hey, Elie"

"What?" Zero turned around and found himself whacked at the head. "Oww! What was that for?" he groaned a bit irritated. It was a good thing that this particular hallway didn't have anyone or any cameras hidden or else this would've been a strange sight to see.

"You responded" the man answered back with a grunt voice. "You still have much to learn. If someone had a curiosity of that name, it would be best not to react to it. That's the first thing you should know about being a stand-in for his majesty"

"Eh?" upon realization of that fact, Zero quickly began thinking that he was right and tap the head of his mask slightly. "Egh… you're right. I guess I'm not that much of an espionage person. Thanks. You really save my hide on this one"

"Don't get sentimental on me. I only did it so you wouldn't jeopardize our mission. Come. We have much work to do"

"Yes of course…"

**(Britannia) (The next morning) (Ashford University)**

"Teacher" Lelouch called out to one of the staff faculties which turned to him. "Do you mind doing me a favor?"

"Huh?" the man raised a brow a little quizzled. "S… sure. What can I do for you Lelouch?"

The boy grinned and slowly removed the contact lens on his right eye. **"Can you please overlook all the campus infractions that Rolo and I are involved?"**

When the contact of the Geass was done, the teacher's will was bent down to the shape of his command. "Very well. I can do that. Just don't wander off to often you two"

"Yes sir" once the teacher was out of earshot, Lelouch and Rolo got together and began plotting their plan for dominance over the campus. With the intelligence and information that the younger brother provided, Lelouch soon made sure that he had a plan to counteract all enemy forces that came his way. The guards of the school were already in the boy's payroll so they were done. The teachers and faculties had already been dealt with and now the only thing left to do was to take down the OSI headquarters itself.

"That should be the last of them" Rolo stated out the obvious. "The only teacher left is Ms. Villetta"

"Yes, that's true" Lelouch nodded after putting back his lens. "But unfortunately my Geass only works on a person once so there's no point in trying to get her to meet me in person"

"But she's the only one who has the highest connections in the OSI. If that's the case then shall I kill her?"

"You shouldn't behave like that" he sighed. "Oh and something else. (Yes?) Can you quit speaking to me at such a formal manner? After all, we are suppose to be brothers" Rolo was taken back a bit but somehow found some strange comfort in his words. "Don't worry. I'll hurry up with my plan for your sake as well. I am going to do it. The changing of Britannia… will begin with this school"

**(Britannian Pacific fleet) (The Avalon)**

Schneizel was looking through some reports he received that morning in paper clipboard. After the new Zero made his surprising reappearance, the 'Areas' under Britannia's rule began crumbling once again. Rebellions began flaring up in various cities and there were even cultish groups that believe that Zero was a god, an avatar that could not be killed by normal means.

"Area 5, France" Kanon showed a slip picture of the Eifel tower in Paris. There were several radicals who took over the symbol of France and waved the French flag over its head. "Area 10, Spain… Area 19, Russia"

"The chaos has spread this far already?" one of prince Schneizel's advisors muttered irritatingly. "It's only been a few days since that Zero appeared and now they're rising up everywhere. If Japan was still under our command we would've had no trouble in rooting this one out just like the others"

"True. But they're saying that the other Zeros in various Areas have already been submitting that they're not Zero either. Out of everyone we've battled, this one seems to be more cunning than most Zeros"

"But I am curious though" Schneizel stated out while putting the clipboard on the table next to him. "Why did this Zero choose to come to Japan of all places?"

"It's obvious!" the advisor answered. "He sought the protection of the Japanese and the Black Knights. He's probably gathering strength there to mount an invasion of Britannia. It's logical seeing that we also hold the contract of a non-aggression pact"

"True… but perhaps he's there for another reason. With all of our attention gathered here, he even proclaimed that he IS in Japan. But still… to return to where he was born is quite questionable"

"Do you think that this Zero may just be a distraction, your highness?" Kanon asked.

"Possibly. But I cannot imagine him being anywhere else. Nonetheless, I gave them 24 hours to answer my call. If they do not surrender him then all of Japan will go to war. Zero will lose his support from the people and he will be forced to come out. I gave him those 24 hours as a test. If he fails to do anything by then, I'll revoke him as another fake and simply declare war on Japan. In either case he will be forced to act"

**(Japan) (Tokyo) (Residential area) (Kallen's House)**

Kallen returned that fateful evening at her home. It had been a long and unbearable week for her ever since Zero 'returned' from the dead. Though she had a hard time accepting it, she had to admit that there was no doubt that this guy was the real deal. C2 was there, he knew about the handkerchief and hell he had the brain of a supercomputer in his head. But yet… there was just something that she couldn't believe in. He had all the perks of the original Zero that much was true but still… something deep inside was telling her that it wasn't him.

But as of this moment, the finding of the true Zero had to wait because right now she had a bigger problem up her sleeves. Just as Zero proclaimed, the Black Knights were going to begin an operation in 24 hours time and there was no doubt that she would have to leave her home once again. It was sad. She had been reunited with her mother for a year and a half now but even so, they barely had enough time to see each other or talk to one another. During Kallen's free time she would often be hanging in the government capital along with Ohgi and the others and be out on missions.

As she entered the house she was surprised to see her mother over by the television next to the dining table. "I'm home"

"Oh, Kallen, you're back" her mother stated out with glee as she rose from the sofa. "Welcome home. I was so worried about you when you didn't answer your phone. I've been trying to reach you for awhile now"

"Yeah. Sorry…" she smiled back apologetically. "I told you I was fine didn't I?"

"Yes, but you know that I worry for you. I heard that there was a skirmish near Tokyo and that the Black Knights were dispatched to fight them. When the neighbors saw Knightmares came out from the government capital, I tried to call you"

"Sorry to worry you" Kallen nodded back wearily. Her military duty had been taking a lot of her time so it wasn't surprising to see her come back so late at night. There were even some times when she would stay in the government capital for weeks before returning home. During those times, she would call her mother to send her clothes to the Black Knight Headquarters so that she'd at least have some clothes to change into when she goes back to school.

"I made some dinner for you" Mrs. Kouzuki gestured to the dining table where a boxed lunch was waiting for her. "I made your favorite curry"

"Oh mother" Kallen sighed back but did not deny the said meal. As the two say, she didn't stop herself from gorging into the food and rudely eat her way through the box. She was very different when she had to act her part as Kallen Stadfelt, the sick and feeble daughter of the Standfelt family. Back then she had to be well mannered and always conscious about her appearance. But just as she was half way through her meal, she soon remembered that she still had something important to say to her mother.

She lowered her utensils and gave out a serious face which her mother sensed almost immediately. "What's wrong dear? You have a strange look on your face"

"Mother…" she began with a small sigh. "I uh… I don't know how to say this. But before that, here…" she slipped in a rather thick envelope from her pocket and forwarded it to her. "This is three months of my pay in the Black Knights. It should help you with the bills and all the other expenses that you might need"

Kallen's mother seemed surprise. This was the first time that her daughter openly gave her, her monthly pay from the Black Knights. Usually she would slip in the money secretly into her bag without her knowing. She had a job of her own as a sales clerk in a small store in the district and it was enough to let them live comfortably but Kallen always thought that she could use a bit more. When Mrs. Kouzuki opened up the envelope she nearly had a heart attack. The money inside were all in the highest bill possible in U.S.J currency. There was more than enough money in here to last her a year.

"Kallen… this is too much" she beckoned like the envelope was cursed or something. "This is more than enough to feed the whole district for a month"

"Yeah, well… since Zero arrived, we've been getting a lot of funding from various companies around the country. Our pay has been good and we've even got ourselves more personnel" but soon, her smiley face dropped down to a frown when she had to finally come clean. "Mother. I… I'm going to be gone for awhile" she looked down sadly on her food as she continued. "But it's not going to be like the other times like a week or two. I think it's going to be longer because I…"

"You're going out for a big operation, aren't you?" Mrs. Kouzuki cut her own daughter off with her usual trademark smile. This of course seemed to have surprise Kallen. "Don't look so surprise. The whole neighborhood had been saying that the Black Knights were up to something big. I even had my suspicions too. When I was out shopping this morning I think I saw at least five trucks with Black Knights insignia on them"

Kallen's face faulted on her food with a deep groan. It wasn't a surprise that she would see so many Black Knight vehicles passing through the road. When Zero made his plan aware to all the high command of the organization, their activity had been skyrocketing off the charts. A few months ago, it would be rare just to see a vehicle belonging to the Black Knights. Nowadays, trucks and private cruisers were swarming the streets.

"Damn… I told Ohgi and Minami to pick a more discreet route" she cursed out silently to her comrades.

The meal went on for about five minutes or so. But just when Kallen had finished her meal, she noticed that her mother had left the television on. Thanks to the non-aggression pact with Britannia, they were still receiving signals coming from the empire despite its fragile on't relationship. But what caught Kallen's attention was the fact that Zero's face was there.

"The news?"

"Hmm?" Mrs. Kouzuki noted. "Oh yes. I was watching that. It's strange though. It seems like Zero is all the world ever talks about. I switched to all the news broadcasting channel and each of them has his picture" she then grabbed the remote on the table and increase the volume slightly for them to hear.

"… and now back to our news story" the anchor began.

"Earlier today, the Britannian army commanded by General Julius Upson has made a declaration to the United States of Japan. He demanded the government to surrender the former leader of the Black Knights and revolutionist, Zero in accordance to the non-aggression treaty. If Zero is not submitted to them in the allotted time of 24 hours it will sign as a clear break of the treaty"

Kallen resisted the urge to spat at them. They demanded that they were following the treaty, but in truth they themselves were the ones who tried to break it. If Zero hadn't show up on that particular battle, the Britannians would be marching all over Tokyo by now and declare this place to be Area 11 all over again. But just when she balled her fist together, she noticed something was different about the news crew. They seemed rather… 'frightened' if that was the correct word to put it. The moment they mentioned Zero they looked as if they were saying some sort of taboo.

"Heh…" Kallen smirked. She knew then that they were probably afraid of this Zero more than the ones that they commented in the past year.

But then her mother closed the TV to continue the conversation they were having earlier. "So Kallen. How long are you going out this time? A few months perhaps?"

The girl's face soured. "Well… no. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. I'm not sure if I'll be returning either. I know you won't approve… but I…… I have a duty to uphold" but to her surprise, all she got in response was her mother's loving smile.

"I know that…" Mrs. Kouzuki smiled again. "You have a duty as a Black Knight soldier. I probably would've asked you to leave the organization but I think that'll be useless. You're just as stubborn and hardheaded like your brother sometimes"

"Mother…"

She let out a small giggle. "I know you might not believe this, but I actually tried applying for the Black Knights yesterday. (HUH!?) I thought that they could use an extra hand or at least a chef in the house. Of course, my application got turned down because I wasn't exactly a skilled soldier or a nurse. Right now, even the New Tokyo Hospital have been sending their most talented surgeons into the facility"

Kallen recalled then that before she left the government capital, she saw many wise looking people talking to Sugiyama and Minami. They didn't look like soldiers but they had the hospital smell among them.

"But don't worry yourself" her mother continued. "Kallen, please understand this. No matter where you go and how long it will take… I'll be waiting for you. I know my words mean little right now, but it's all I have. So even after you have nothing left, no that you'll always have me"

"Mother…"

"No matter what happens, I'll be waiting right here just for you. So please… don't worry. I won't be going anywhere… and when you come back… I'll even make your favorite curry again"

"Oh mother…" Kallen let out a sigh at last knowing well that whatever she says now will simply mean nothing to her. "Alright. I promise you I'll come back. I'll even ask Zero for a leave or two so we can hang out at the shopping mall together"

Mrs. Kouzuki laughed for a minute which left her daughter slightly curious. "That would be nice. Maybe sometime you can introduce me to Zero. (Huh?) You may not notice this. But every time you say his name, you always have that soft look on your face"

"I… I do?"

"Yes. In fact, when you visited me a year ago in the Safe Zone, you couldn't stop talking about him. Though I have to admit, I was expecting your first crush to be somewhat less mysterious"

"What!? Mother, it's nothing like that!"

"Oh come on now, you can't hide things like that from me. Look at you, your face is all red"

"No it's not! I… I just… I…"

"I was hoping you would know his face at least. That way I could at least picture him in some way"

"Mother! Geeze! You're starting to sound like C2 and Inoue!"

**(Britannia) (Pendragon) (OSI Headquarters)**

Villetta let out a small sigh to herself as she sat back on her chair with a tired look imprinted on her face. The high command officers of the OSI were having a meeting at the headquarters in the rich district of the city. The topic of today vague at best. Thanks to the Matoir mall incident a few days ago and the firefight at Pendragon State Mall, the organization had been a bit shorthanded and the chief of staff was having a difficult time refilling those positions.

Their operation has also been thrown into question by the emperor and some members of the royal family have been having doubts on their loyalty. With all their funding cut short into filling in the dead the high command had no other choice but to cut several of their working tasks budget.

"This is an outrage!" shouted one of the high officers. "Are you saying that we have to cut off this much, sir!?"

"We're already cutting it close with our resources. If we let off this much, it could ruin us"

"It can't be helped" the director of the OSI stated out. "We've already lost a quarter of our staff during the last two operations in attempting to catch C2. The emperor is getting annoyed with our lack of progress so we have no other choice but to cut the budget by a lengthy margin"

"We nearly had our primary target on the last operation!" another officer stated out. "If it weren't for Villetta's interference, we could've had her!" Villetta sharpened her eyes slightly to the man.

"Don't go pointing fingers" the director reminded the man of his place. "The fault lies within the discipline of our agents. Because of agent Joe's preemptive strike, the security was forced to fight us and if I remember correctly, that man was under your supervision as well"

The man quickly backed down and decided to drop the subject.

With no one else talking, Villetta decided to step in. "So what are our orders? I've lost most of my agents in that last operation"

"How many men do you have watching Lelouch, right now?"

"Counting his little brother and the few personnel I have on both his estate and school: About 30 or more"

"I'll draft in twelve more from Forlorn and send them to you" the director shifted his seating position before taking a document from his laptop. "That should be enough to fill in the gaps to your surveillance"

"Yes, thank you, my lord"

"Wait! You're supporting her operation but not ours my lord!?" the first staff officer barked out furiously slamming his hand on the table.

But the director remained calm and composed like he wasn't even paying attention to the man. "The emperor gave specific orders that the Lamperouge operation becomes our top priority. If you have any complaints whatsoever you can all take it to his majesty himself" that alone silenced the whole table. "Good. Major Villetta will continue observing the bait as she has been. The rest of you will continue on with your operations" but then he stopped when he noticed a com channel opening through his screen. "Yes, what is it?"

"Sorry to interrupt sir. But the chief of staff is here to see you at the longue. He says that he may have a solution about replacing the staff with the current budget"

"Well that's probably the first sign of some darn good news I've heard all day. Have him meet me at the coffee room in a few minutes, I'll be there shortly"

"Yes my lord"

Once the screen turned off the director turned his attention to his officers. "Well then. If there's nothing else, then this meeting has been concluded. You're all dismissed"

The men stood up and nodded to him. "Yes, my lord"

**(Japan) (Government capital) (Zero's office)**

The silent voice returned once again in the cold office of Zero. A lingering voice of a ghostly essence lingered in the room as if trying to reach out to someone or something. But alas, only a single girl can hear what that ghost was trying to say.

"So… you think this is foolish of me?" C2 spoke to no one in particular. "To be here with the rebellion all over again?"

"……"

"You say the strangest things. He's not even that attractive"

"……"

"Quit making such assumptions. It's not like you can understand"

"……"

"Now you're just being ridiculous. He's not even my type and besides he's stubborn and prideful. He doesn't have time for anyone except Nunnally"

"……"

"I don't think I like talking to you anymore…"

"……!!!"

"Would you shut up!" unconsciously, the witch suddenly picked up Cheese-kun from the sofa and threw it as hard as she could onto the table which then bounced off to the corner of the room. Unknowingly, a feint blush was now growing on her cheeks. "These people just don't know when to quit. You never change at all… Marianne"

**(Ashford University) (OSI outpost)**

Villetta let out a long and loud sigh as she returned to the hidden base of the OSI beneath the library grounds. The meeting with the high officers of the OSI had taken its toll on her stamina and staying with the top brass of the organization isn't exactly on her list of hobbies. It was a good thing that the chief was on her side or else her operation could go from bad to worse. Thanks to that last operation which cost the lives of many of her agents, she had been put in a tight spot.

Also… thanks to the unknown Zero that showed up in Japan, a lot of civil unrest and rumors had been spreading around. Many commoners and noblemen have been talking about an invasion of Britannia. Such an idea was laughable back then. Some even thought of it to be neigh impossible thanks to the powerful defense force that protected the border of the country. But now that, that man was there… now that Zero was there, such a thought was beginning to terrify people.

"Major Villetta?" one of the officers questioned her tired face. "Is something the matter? You look rather tired"

"It's nothing to worry about" she waved him off back to his duties. "What's the status on Lelouch?"

"He's at the horseback riding course. The equestrian club had requested him to perform a few stunts on the field. Nothing odd so far. Rolo went to pick up something from the grocery store for Milly. He should be back later this evening"

"Alright. Have two agents watch him at all times. Our replacements should be arriving by tomorrow so be ready to write some new credentials for them"

"Yes, my lord"

A phone ring then erupted from Villetta's pocket, making her groan out in annoyance. "This is Villetta. What is it?"

"Major. Sorry to interrupt you" came the voice on the other line. "But the director is calling for another meeting tomorrow"

"Another meeting? But didn't we just have one? Are the district members going to be there as well?"

"No ma'am. The chief has made a Code Blue meeting. All high staff members are to report there at 8 AM in the morning"

"A Code Blue!?" Villetta's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the code. Code Blue meant that it was a matter of great importance which was only meant for the eyes and ears of the highest ranking members of the OSI. Only very few Code Blue had ever been called in and whatever it was it usually involved grave danger and situations. "Can you tell me any specific details about the topic?"

"Sorry Major, but the director didn't give any details, but he said it was of utmost importance. I've already sent messages to outlying units and they should be making their way here soon"

"Alright. I'll be there" and with that she cut the line off with a defining click sound. "What could be so important to announce a Code Blue? It makes no sense"

"Major… (Hmm?)" an officer stated. "Should I give you our weekly detail?"

"Leave it on my desk by tomorrow. I have other duties to attend to (sigh) This job has become a lot harder since that Zero appeared. Has there been any changes in Lelouch's behavior?"

"So far, he's been pretty much normal. Two girls tried to ask him out on a date this evening but other than that, nothing out of the ordinary. Should I assign an agent to check out his room?"

"Do that. But don't do anything that may prove too suspicious"

"Yes, my lord"

**(Japan) (Government capital) (Research and Development sector)**

"Hmmm hmm hmm hmmm hmmmmm…" Lloyd hummed happily that evening as he typed onto his computer. As he waited for the download to finish, he quickly turned his attention to a plate of pudding which was a conveniently placed at the side of the table. "Ah yes. It's just you and me now. We're all alone. Nothing will interrupt our special moment together" he licked the top of his lips and took a spoonful of the tasty treat with glee. "Emm hmmm!! Japanese pudding really does take the cake!" he claimed happily like he was just given a birthday present. "I'm surprised that I haven't tasted you before! It almost makes me feel glad that Zero retook Japan ohohoho!"

But then the entrance of the door opened up, interrupting the man of his meal. As Lloyd looked back, he noticed Zero was there standing in his dark pose like he always have been. "Lord Asplund. I see you haven't changed" but just before the man continued he noticed that the place was trashed… literally. There were junks all over the place. Plastic cups from coffee and instant noodles, dirty plates from the constant TV takeout meals and even trashcans overflowing with indescribable objects.

"Zero, welcome welcome! Please, make yourself at home. Welcome to my humble abode! Sorry for the mess. Cecile hasn't been tidying up for awhile"

"Where's Rakshata?" he asked, not even a bit concerned about the mess.

Lloyd knew that Zero was a man of business and never really had much time for wordplay or simple conversation manners. Seeing that the great leader was not up for a few lab jokes, the man adjusted his glass for a moment before replying. "She's out coordinating with the other modules at the moment. The new data you've uploaded to the Black Knight frames intrigued her for a bit"

"They were taken from a top secret Britannian military supplier" Zero stated out. "They weren't easy to obtain but they should improve the Knightmares combat efficiency by a few percentage"

"Indeed. But surely you came here for an update on the new frames that you've designed. Please, follow me" the sociopath then led the masked leader to the hanger bay where four frames covered with a thick loin cloth were stored. "Behold, the evolution of Knightmares. A joint research and development with a Britannian and Black Knight. They are my pride and joy and probably the most powerful frames in the whole world at the moment!"

With one look alone, Zero could tell that there was something different about these four individual frames. They all had their strengths and their weaknesses. But all in all, they were indeed perfect weapons for the Knights of Zero.

"Impressive. Are they operational?"

"Afraid not" Lloyd responded boringly while he dangled the key devicers on his hand. "There are still some major problems that we have to fix out with the Sutherland Sieg which I like to call little Ziggy. Rakshata has been busy formulating the Guren's F.E.V (Flight Enabled Version) system. The ones that are closest to finishing are the Sutherland Sieg and Genie"

"It's called the Shinkiro" came a familiar voice from the lab room. When the two men turned around they saw Rakshata there carrying her usual tobacco pipe and Cecile not far behind. "I've installed the Gawain's system just like you asked Zero. It's personally made just for you. I've already finished most of the flaws with Cecile but the others will have to wait"

"Don't forget me now" Lloyd added as he took another scoop of pudding in his mouth. "I did most of the work on Genie too"

"Shinkiro huh?" Zero motioned to the said frame with a smirk on his lips. "Well then. Since we don't have much time, we'll have to continue with the development elsewhere. Have all these frames moved into the Ikaruga by morning tomorrow. We cannot allow these weapons to be discovered by the enemy before they make their debut. Rakshata, you'll continue working on the Guren, the Shinkiro (Genie…) and the Sutherland Sieg (Ziggy…). I have set up a place for Lloyd in Burma to continue with the construction of the other two frames"

"Most excellent!" Lloyd clasped his hands together in joy. "Right away, my lord. It shall be done. But you do know that processing this machine wasn't exactly top bill and we will…"

"Funding will not be an issue" was the leader's response. "Once you arrive in Burma, you'll have access to one of my accounts. There should be more than enough in there to aid you"

"Splendid!" the man quickly wiggled himself off and laughed with glee. "Consider your new toys well spent sir!"

"But are you seriously going for this plan?" Rakshata questioned. "It sounds risky. And even if you can fool the Britannians, they will come for you eventually"

"Leave the tactical thinking and strategy to me. Just make sure that the frames are ready when they are needed"

"Of course…"

After observing the frames a few more minutes, Zero's phone suddenly began to ring. "What is it?"

"Zero, it's almost time" he recognized it as Diethard's voice. "Everything is ready at the bay. We just need your signal"

"Have the supplies arrived already?"

"Yes, they're being loaded onto the carriers as we speak" the man replied. There were sounds of heavy machineries and shouting coming from the background so Zero could tell that he was probably near the loading area. "We should be done by tonight. 89 percent of the staff members have reported in as well. Ohgi and the others are loading the Knightmares and all emergency resources should be stocked on the other aircrafts as well"

"Very good. Continue the process. I'll be there shortly. Have everything prepared for my arrival" Zero then took a look at the clock on his phone and noted the time in his head. "We have about sixteen hours left before our estimated deadline. Make sure to leave room at the hanger"

"Yes, of course Zero. Also… I've finish arrangements for Sayoko's transfer to Britannia. I don't wish to question your work but why did you make her go there? She's would be put to better use here and she has talents unlike most of us"

"She's currently assisting one of my agents in Britannia" Zero answered a bit pleased to hear that the girl had been moved to his master. "Don't worry. She'll be updating me on enemy activities. If I'm right… then I might be able to sabotage many of their workstations"

"_He has agents planted inside Britannia?"_ Diethard's eyes widened a bit on this new information. Though it may sound little to many, implanting an agent in the tight security of Britannia was almost impossible. It took nearly all of Diethard's Intel and connections just to smuggle Sayoko in but Zero here was claiming that he had agents placed inside Britannia itself. Such a feat is surely remarkable.

"Understood…" the media man answered back finally. "Well then. All that's left is for our timer to run out. I'll have everything set when you get here"

"I see… well done Diethard. You really are an expert at this. An outstanding job. You're truly irreplaceable"

"Agh… thank you for those words. I'm deeply honored. Are you sure your plans for the following stage will be consistent?"

"Yes I am. Our tactics may have changed, but our strategic objective remains the same. Take care of things on your end" And after he hung up, he returned his gaze to the scientists. "You all have ten hours to move. I'll meet you all at Kanagawa" without another word, Zero left the room just as strangely as he came in.

After making sure that he was already out of earshot, Cecile let out a huge sigh. "I know I'm not supposed to say this, but that man always give me a strange feeling inside"

"He's a sociopath, just like me I guess" Lloyd smirked proudly as his gaze tore away from the door. "He doesn't care what gets in his way. As long as he can achieve his goals then he wouldn't even mind sacrificing all of humanity along with it. He's such an interesting person. How I wish we could've met earlier. We would've been such great friends"

"You wouldn't even make it in his rank" Rakshata commented bluntly as ever. "Anyway, let's get back to work. Have the crew ship the Knightmares. We'll continue our work onboard the Ikaruga" and just when the mechanics nodded away with their order, Lloyd finished up his pudding until he realized there was still a small chunk left to be scrapped out. So in an attempt to take the pudding out, he accidentally used too much force, allowing the pudding to fly over to Rakshata's hair.

"Oh dear…" the man paled as the once familiar scene replayed itself in a small sense of dejavou.

The Indian scientist grew out an angry vein as she turned her gaze back to the Earl of Pudding. "Lloyd~!!!"

"Not again…" Cecile sighed at this sight. "Those two never change. Even after all these years they still bicker like children" but just before she marched herself in to stop the fighting from going any further, her eyes suddenly came into contact of a small trinket left on the ground. It was a small locket in which she remembered seeing it hanging around Lloyd's wrist. At first she thought that it was just another sort of jewelry given to him as a noble but now she could tell that it was something more.

There was definitely a photo inside it but the locket needed some kind of special way to open it. Now she was very curious on what was in it. But just before she could try and figure out the combination, she soon realized that the 'children' were now going for each other's throats. So she decided to leave the secrets of that locket for another time and focus on the more pressing matters like trying to make sure that the two geniuses don't kill each other before their prime.

**(C's World)**

Charles Zi Britannia stood firmly at the pedestal of the avatar. Time at C's World was untellable if one did not have a watch to keep track of the days that has been going by. If one would look at the sunlight over by the distance, they would say that it was locked in an eternal flash of dawn and dusk. But of course… no one could tell if the sun was rising or setting, because nobody can tell where North was. It was as if this place was paused in an eternal stasis in time, forever to remain still like a view trapped in a toy globe.

"Hmm… this is… unexpected…"

"What is it, Charles?" a child with hair as long as his body entered the pedestal, looking to the man with an easing smile. "You look troubled"

The emperor let down his smile and turned to the boy. "As expected, the Thought Elevator isn't opening. We just don't have sufficient data. The knowledge needed to open such a device requires power beyond my comprehension"

"I see. This will definitely affect our plans"

"Yes. Even if we do complete the Sword of Akasha, it will still be useless unless the Thought Elevator opens"

"The Thought Elevator" V2 mimicked his little brother with a small smile. "The only link that connects C's world and our world. If one wishes to open it, he must experience all in which to be granted passage to it"

"It's a riddle left by the ancients" the emperor groaned. "How impudent of them…"

"It's a test" V2 explained it to him. "It means that only those who experienced everything will be allowed to use it. We will have to find one who knows everything or nothing will be able to change"

"But can such a person exist, big brother? Like you said: Even an immortal can't hope to know everything"

"True. But it is still something that we must solve. I'll look into it and divert more resources into constructing our base. Once God is dead, we will continue on with our research on discovering what Geass truly is. By the way… it seems like your children are really taking their toll on the world. Are you sure that it would not be best to intervene?"

"Let Schneizel handle those mundane matters. All my focus must remain on the task at hand…"

The boy laughed. "You know Charles… you really are just a child after all"

"Yes… perhaps I still am… big brother. But it still doesn't change the fact that I will be the one who end this constant struggle of all mankind"

"A dream to rule the world's past huh?" V2 grinned. "Perhaps it's not really a dream after all…"

**(OSI Headquarters) (The next morning)**

Villetta made her way back to the meeting room that morning. She never liked the smell of the headquarters and whenever she got there, she would make it a point to leave when all of her businesses were done. As she strolled on the elevator of the building, she noticed some familiar faces entering and exiting the lift on different floors. She recognized them as the supporters and fund raisers of the OSI and a few of them were the high officers of the organization.

When she finally made it to the lobby of the top floor her eyebrows raised bit to the sight of a large number of people gathering in front of the director's office. It was nearing the scheduled meeting time so it wasn't odd to see them there.

She squeezed herself through the small crowd for a minute and allowed herself to get some room to breathe in. Whatever the boss called them in for, it was definitely something of great importance. With a single glance around the room, Villetta could tell that officers and trusted cohorts of the imperial secret service were present here. There had never been such a large gathering of the OSI in many years ever since Emperor Charles Zi Britannia came into power.

When the door finally opened to the crowd, all gossips and talk were immediately cut silent. All heads turned towards the door as two OSI guards stepped out to greet them.

"The meeting will now commence" said one of the guards. "All 12 members, please enter. Please leave your phones, weapons and any electronic devices that you are carrying on the table. You can take them back once the meeting is done" the officers in the lobby quickly gathered their documents and made their way to the room in a professional manner. No talks were allowed and no cell phones were permitted either so it was a total communication blackout.

When Villetta entered, she suddenly noticed the atmosphere around the room suddenly tightened… as if some dark presence was looming over the meeting itself. She began to have a bad feeling about this.

Once the members took their place around the large table, they all saw the director in his seat but his chair was facing outwards towards the giant monitor in front of him.

The members waited…

And waited…

But not a single word seemed to be pressing from their leader.

When about three minutes have passed, one of the officers interrupted. "Umm… sir?"

"Welcome" the director stated out suddenly which seemed to have caught the others by surprise. "I'm guessing you're all wondering what I've gathered you all here for. (Nodding) Good. Because right now… effective immediately… I am resigning as the head director of the OSI…"

"WHAT!?" a few chairs flipped from their stabled position when the man made his declaration. "My lord! What is the meaning of this? Why are you resigning?"

"Quiet down…" he ordered out which they all followed. "My reasons are my own. As of right now, I am revoking all my status and turning over power to a more…… capable hands. Because of this change, I am now ceasing half of our operations in the E.U. to support our tasks here in the homeland. This will solve our manpower problems and funding"

"That's outrageous!!" one of the officers burst open to him. "We can't just stop our operations there! The E.U. war is drastically changing the tides of battle! If we pull out now, it'll take us years to recover! What of Prince Schneizel?"

"As far as we know, he doesn't know of our presence there" the director explained with his strange monotone voice. "If we pull them out now, it won't cause any suspicion"

"Are these the orders of his majesty?" Villetta asked finally.

The director turned his head towards the woman but showed no signs of any emotion whatsoever. "No. I am now acting under a different will……" again a number of gasps and discontent arguments began stirring from the group. "As of this moment, we are no longer serving under the emperor…"

"My lord!" another officer stood up from his seat, clearly showing a face that he didn't like where this meeting was going. "Are you saying you're going to betray the emperor!? That's plain suicide! I'm out of here" but before the man could even pack his belongings together, he was immediately stopped by one of the guards that suddenly appeared out of the dark. "W… what the?"

"You are not to leave the room until the meeting is over…" the guard stated out as if placed in a hypnotized trance.

When the officer sat back on his chair, the others soon realized that they were surrounded on all sides by soldiers carrying rifles in which was more than enough to mow them all down.

"My lord… are… are you planning to start a coup?" Villetta asked now slightly nervous from the barrels pointed at her.

"Not at all" was his reply. "I simply serve…… another master…" he then gestured to another chair which was situated nearer to the monitor screen. "Allow me to introduce to you, the new CEO of the OSI…"

The chair at the top end, whirled around to face them, showing the face of the Dark Lord that the world once feared. "Thank you, director… it's a great honor to be here…"

"Lelouch!?" that was the turning point of Villetta's conscious as she rose from her seat.

The dark master smiled pleasingly at the reaction of his subjects. He always loved it when he catches people by surprise. One could say that it was a trait of a prankster. "I'm pleased to see you again, Coach Villetta…… or should I say… Baroness Nu instead?" he humored himself with his own words. "You were awarded that rank for ascertaining Zero's true identity"

"But how? I just saw you at Ashford University an hour ago. You were there, helping Rivalz with his studies in the classroom"

"A simple trick of a body double, Ms. Villetta" Lelouch smirked proudly. "Because you only observe me through a camera, I was able to plant my very own clone into the scene. I must admit though that your system was indeed hard to crack there were no doubts a few flaws in it. You should be pleased with yourself. You made me work up a sweat doing all those work without aid from the outside"

"But then how…" but before she could ask her next question, she felt a familiar barrel suddenly being pointed on the back of her head.

"You need not worry, Ms. Villetta" came Rolo who seemingly appeared out of thin air. "You won't be killed. Not yet at least"

"Rolo?" the woman exclaimed. "But why? You would turn your back on the order and…"

"I suggest you don't speak of details in such a large crowd" he warned her while slightly showing his Geass eye. "Remember the last one you and I spoke of it"

"Tch…" Villetta would've pulled her gun in already and defend herself but thanks to the guards, none of them were armed. "But why would you betray us? I thought he was your mission… and that your mission was your only purpose in life"

"I really have no reason to answer that question. As long as I do what my big brother commands, I'll continue to have a future. That's all you need to know"

"So that's it Rolo? You've turned traitor?"

"Please remain silent… and listen to my big brother"

"Thank you Rolo" Lelouch grinned evilly as he continued. "Now then, all of you here. I am now giving all of you an opportunity for today. You will now be serving under me from here on"

"Ridiculous!" one of the officers spoke out. "Like we'd work for a terrorist!"

"Would you rather that I force you to work for me instead? If I am correct… only the highest chief of command knows of the existence of my power" the members of the OSI flinched slightly at this. "Ah… it seems like my suspicions are correct after all. You all know of the existence of Geass but not its source"

"You won't get away with this Lelouch" Villetta challenged him. "Even if you do use your Geass on all of us, the emperor will find out about you and you'll be brought to justice. The Zero in Japan will be executed and the Black Knights will be disbanded. You'll be left with only a handful of soldiers by your side"

"Is that what you believe?" the boy questioned with a wide smirk before changing the monitor to the news channel that was broadcasting the reply of the Japanese government. The time limit for their reply was almost up and it seemed like war was about to break again for the land of the rising sun. "Then allow me to show you. Allow me to show you the birth of a new nation. Allow me to show you the powers of Zero"

**(Japan) (99****th**** Royal Britannian fleet operations area) (The Avalon)**

Schneizel waited patiently in his seat aboard the Avalon with his advisors standing by his side. His gaze constantly darted from the timer and the screen in front of him. Only three minutes remained on the clock and still there was no response coming from the Japanese government. He was quite disappointed to say the least. He thought that if he gave Zero that little time limit, it would force him to come and face him. But alas that hope was dashed away.

"Only three minutes left, your highness" Kanon reminded him.

"Yes, thank you Kanon"

But Schneizel was a patient man. Three minutes may not be long for a soldier but for a strategist master like him, it was a serious gap of time which could decide victory or defeat. So instead of rushing in right away, he stayed his hands.

"This is pathetic" General Upson groaned. "This Zero may turn out to be another no show. I should prepare the fleet to attack"

"No. They still have time" the prince replied not at that bit fazed. "Have the troops remain on standby just as they have been. If they give us Zero, then good. If they do not then we will have no other choice but to declare war. He knows of the consequences of his actions and if he fails to make a miracle out of this then it's over"

"One minute, six seconds seconds"

"Have the first fleet ready to move in" Upson stated out to his forces. "It's clear now that these barbarians have no intention of letting go of their precious Zero. The presence of our troops will show them that we are serious on invading them"

Kanon motioned to him. "General Upson, his highness specifically stated that all units be on standby. Fifty seconds…"

"They're not taking us seriously! If we allow ourselves to show weakness, how can we hope to command these ingrates?"

"Even so. You are crossing the line into insubordination. Thirty-nine seconds"

"Leave him be Kanon" Schneizel waved it off. "General Upson knows what he's doing. He probably has better opinion of this battle than I do. If Japan does declare war… then Zero will be nothing more but a piece on the chess board"

"Hmm…… as you wish your highness" Kanon then took a look at his watch and counted down the remaining time. But before his words left his lips, one of the com officers on deck interrupted.

"Your highness, we're receiving a nationwide transmission from the Japanese government capital!"

"A transmission?" Upson quirked his eyebrow slightly upwards. "Do they plan to surrender Zero?"

"Can you run it?" Schneizel motioned in which the officer quickly placed it on screen. Within a few seconds, the face of Kaguya Sumeragi, the Prime Minister of Japan showed up. "Oh… it's her"

"One of the members of the Kyoto group" Kanon clarified for him. "They were the ones who supported various rebellions in Area 11. After the Black Rebellion, the group disbanded and all their power was transferred to Lady Sumeragi. She's also the head of the Sumeragi Conglomerate, which has a monopoly on the Sakuradite mining and a rather large influence in the Chinese Federation and the E.U. There has been many rumors going on around her, but they all agree that she and Zero share a special bond. You could say that she's Zero's public face to the people"

"People of Japan" Kaguya began with her usual soft caring voice. "May I have your attention please? As you may have already heard: the Britannian army has made a declaration of attack 24 hours ago in demand of the masked revolutionist, Zero" a small picture of the said man appeared for a brief moment and was then minimized to the corner of the screen. "In accordance to the law of the non-aggression pact signed 16 months ago, we are to surrender Zero, the revolutionist. Therefore I will have no other choice but to surrender him to the Britannian authorities" a large number of boos and displeased noises began emanating from the country as if refusing that act.

"So they're surrendering him after all" Upson grinned pleasingly at the victory, but Schneizel saw this to be too easy. There was something lingering around this screening and it was definitely not natural for the leader of the country to announce something that would be displeasing the people.

"However…" the prime minister continued. "I regretfully wish to inform you, that the Black Knights who has been commandeered by Zero has now declared its independence from the Japanese Government. (What?!) Therefore, the Black Knights can no longer be affected by our situated rules. And so, with the power invested in me as the prime minister of Japan, I hereby order exile of the perpetrator, Zero and all of his collaborators in the Black Knights!"

"What!?" Kanon lost his pose as he heard this news. "They're exiling them?"

"So… he's finally declared his own independence" the prince grinned. But just before anyone else could do anything about it, the com officer suddenly picked something blipping in his radar.

"Unknown fleet appearing from the bed of the ocean!"

"What!?" Upson barked. "A surprise attack!? Show it on screen!" the officer did so and placed the camera view on the fleet in topic. When the scene finally appeared on screen, every officer in the room gasped and place their hands on their heart as if they all suffering from a heart attack. Schneizel on the other hand simply muttered a silent compliment to his opponent. "It… it can't be…"

In the screen in front of the whole chief staff of the 99th Royal Fleet of Britannia, stood the largest aerial armada the world has ever seen. An aerial fleet consisting of 20 ships all painted in black and light green appeared from the bed of the ocean like Atlantis rising back from the sea. The fleet looked massive and the size of the combat carrier made the Avalon feel like a bird being compared to a massive eagle.

It wasn't long then until Zero's face suddenly appeared on screen with many of his Black Knight officers in tow. "We… the Black Knights… hereby accept!" he declared in a dramatic pose on the camera. "Soldiers of the new world, listen to me! Prime Minister Kaguya Sumeragi of Japan has ordered the Black Knights into exile! Since we are all Black Knights, we must all leave this country at once! (WHAT!!!!?) All of you here will now relinquish your titles as Japanese! From this day forward, those who join me shall become members of the Black Knights! In this flight we hereby declare ourselves independent from all nations! A force not alleged to one country… a force that follows not their mind but their hearts! Let us set out to a new land… a new world!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the Ikaruga, the soldiers that stood in the halls cried out as if trying to reply to Zero's words. "Yeah!"

"We're no longer Japanese!"

"We're the Black Knights now! We have no country!"

"Come on Black Knights, let's leave this place!"

"It's time to get exiled everybody~!" Tamaki yelled out to his comrades. "We're all Black Knights so we're all out of here!"

"That's right! I'm a Black Knight!"

"Me too!"

"And me!"

"Let's get deported!"

But while the soldiers were out celebrating like the goofballs that they were, Lloyd couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the men cheering even after being exiled from their home country. "Aha… so that was his plan" he stated out humorously as ever. "He wanted a legal excuse to get all of his followers out of the country"

"But to move a thousand people?" Cecile asked worryingly. "Do we even have enough supplies to sustain such a large number?"

"Zero was prepared for it. He requested an abundance of provisions to be sent to them. At first I thought that he was stocking up for a siege but now I see he just wanted enough food to feed the fleet for at least a year"

"But still…"

Lloyd laughed at her. "You worry too much. But I must say that Rakshata did put a lot of work into this little toy. It's practically a floating fortress. The Ikaruga eh? It's almost big enough to be its own town. This must be the last thing Britannia would've expected: A floating aircraft carrier with its own integral FLOAT system and shield that can rival the Avalon. Not to mention the Hadron Scatter Cannon that I developed, installed on its bow. Hehehe… this world is really becoming quite interesting if I do say so myself"

**(Britannia) (Ashford University)**

Milly, Shirley and Rivalz were watching intently on the show before them. They were watching the sports channel just a few minutes ago but it was interrupted when an emergency broadcast from Japan.

When their eyes caught sight of Zero and his massive fleet, they all felt like a cold shiver went down their spine. Rivalz was most afraid since he met the man himself and boy he would never forget how frightening his presence was. Milly of course was also equally shocked because she also met the man himself but not only that. She could also remember the chilling feel when the man touched her chin and made her feel vulnerable like a puppy.

Shirley of course was just as scared as Rivalz since she too met the man in person and lived.

"T… this is… incredible" the boy muttered still slightly paralyzed by his worst nightmare coming back to haunt him.

"What's going to happen?" Shirley asked next to anyone who could answer.

Milly seemed to know so she was inclined to answer. "It's just that… Zero is more than an idol now" she began. "He's a symbol. A symbol to all the Areas as an icon of Justice and Freedom… but to us Britannians… he's a symbol of fear and hatred. He… he's made himself into a living avatar for everyone and a public enemy to all of us"

**(Japan)**

As the fleet of the Black Knights made its debut screening, General Upson quickly lost his cool. "What the hell are you guys waiting for!? Don't let them get close to the fleet. Have the first battalion move in and deploy all of our aerial forces!"

"No wait…" Schneizel waved him off. "Hold back all troops. Don't move from your position"

"But your highness!"

"Our movements here are being broadcast to the entire world at this very moment. If we fire the first shot, then it will be clear that we were the ones who declared war. Besides… the prime minster isn't even finished yet" the men quickly found his words to be true when they all turned their gazes to the screen where Lady Kaguya was still making her speech.

"And finally… as the last movement of today's event. The United States of Japan will hereby officially join with the Chinese Federation Alliance"

"What?!"

"Hmm…" Schneizel nodded impressively to them.

"Due to the constant economic and militaristic struggle in Japan, this alliance will undoubtedly bring balance and solidity to the fragile society of Japan"

"But that goes against the non-aggression pact" Kanon stated out to no one in particular. "If they ally themselves with the Chinese Federation, then they would be aiding our enemies"

"No…" the prince replied with a calm collected face. "Though we may have had our minor skirmish with them, in truth we are not currently at war with the Chinese Federation. They haven't been declared our enemies which makes this move perfectly legal. But this does not bode well for us. In a few hours, these waters will become international borders of the Chinese Federation. Hmm… I must say… I did not expected this"

"What are your orders then your highness?" Kanon asked. "Should we engage the Black Knights? They're no longer part of Japan so they'll have no reason to aid them"

"No, we're withdrawing" he declared plainly out of the blues which seemed to create some questions in the room. "The war with the E.U. is already depleting our resources at an alarming rate. We don't need another fight with another faction. Conflict is not the only way to win a battle. Have all our troops withdraw back to Area 3 to resupply. There's no point in staying here anymore"

Kanon was reluctant at first but he found no words or reason to argue with the prince's declaration. "As you wish your highness"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It wasn't long then till the order of retreat was given out to the army. "This is high command calling all forces. Withdraw. I repeat: Withdraw from the area immediately. All troops are to return to base for further instructions"

"Understood… returning to base"

And so… as the Britannian fleet slowly returned to their respective territory, Zero wave his hand up again in the air and resume his declaration. "Black Knights, let us go. We are no longer needed here"

"Hmm…" Kallen let out a small sigh to herself. At first she had a small doubt that this plan would actually work. That a form of wordplay would be enough to get the Britannians to turn tails and run. But she was proven wrong. As she looked onwards into the new day before them, all she could picture now was the showdown between the Black Knights and Britannia. She didn't know when it was going to happen but everyone on earth knew…… that a battle between these two powers was inevitable.

**(Britannia) (OSI Headquarters)**

"Ahahahahaha!! Hahahahahaha!!!" Lelouch had nearly forgotten how pleasurable it was to triumph over his opponent. Seeing how the Britannians turned and flee was like viewing a comedy show he never knew existed until now.

But Villetta's eyes were more focused on the man behind Zero as he made his return speech. _"It can't be… Kaname Ohgi?"_

"No way…" one of the OSI officers who was not under the influence of Geass gasp. "The Britannians are… retreating?"

"But that was prince Schneizel. How could he…?"

"You see now?" Lelouch returned his gaze to them. "This… is only but a taste of what I am capable of doing. Destruction and devastation isn't my only method of victory. So now… answer me. Will you serve me… or will you become my slave?"

The men in the room were now frightened beyond all reasons. If one would say that Britannia could be defeated, they would've considered it a joke. But now… after witnessing just a glimpse of his power… just a glance of it… felt like a surge just sent through their spines.

"But… but we can't…" one of officers said out of fright. They didn't know who was scarier. Lelouch or the empire itself. "The OSI only responds to the emperor and the royal family itself. If we defect now… we'll be branded as traitors… and they'll kill us anyway"

"That's right" another officer nodded in agreement also equally scared to his pants. "Even if we did serve you, we would be going against a larger empire. We swore absolute loyalty to Emperor Charles Zi Britannia and his family"

"Is that so?" the dark lord showed a toothy grin. "Then I guess you won't have any problem serving me. (Huh?) All of you who are present here know of my identity as Zero, but unknown to all I have another identity which was kept from all of you"

"Another identity?"

"Yes. To all of you, I am known as Lelouch Lamperogue, the school boy who hides under the identity of a masked vigilante. But in reality I am something more, something greater, something which you all serve…… for I am Lelouch Vi Britannia!" a series of gasps emanated then as his cover was now finally revealed. Upon the mere mention of the name, the face of the boy simply began to click inside of their heads like a locked away memory from a long time ago.

"Lelouch? As in… THE Lelouch…"

"It can't be… I heard that he was killed during the war with Japan"

"But… but it makes perfect sense. His highness… the exiled prince of Britannia…"

Even Villetta herself was in a state of shock. She was so shocked by the sudden revelation that she her head began spinning in all directions for answers. "Y… you… you're him…"

"Yes indeed" Lelouch again smiled to his new subjects. "17th in line of the imperial throne and the eldest son of the late consort Marianne Lamperogue, Lelouch Vi Britannia… at your service"

"Im… impossible… but I thought that…"

"That I was dead?" the dark lord cut the man off his sentence. "You were wrong. (pause) Yes, my dear subjects. I have returned from the land of the dead… and now I have come… to change… everything. So… as of this moment: Your lives and your loyalty… belong to me"

So is the birth… of the Black Empire…

But little did Lelouch know… that his plans of destroying Britannia from within, was about to be put in jeopardy by an old friend that has long since remembered him.


	16. Force Tied by Fates

**Chapter 16: Force Tied by Fates**

The Chinese Federation…

An alliance of nation boasting the largest population on the planet but the truth is, it can be called a deterring old man. The symbol of this alliance was the empress, who was too young and immature to lead the people. And so the ruling class which is known as the High Eunuchs was formed to give way to 'advise' the empress on the country's matters and control society from within. But this class was however has grown exceedingly tyrannical during the past years. While they fatten themselves with the wealth of the nation, poverty and stagnation sacked the life out of the countries and its people.

When the Black Knights were exiled from Japan, they sought refuge to this neighboring Federation. The High Eunuchs, the most powerful men at the time, lent the independent organization the manmade island of Horai, built for tidal power generation of the Jiangsu province near the coast of the Yellow Sea. Even though this arrangement was worked out well in advance by Zero and his collaborators, all the political implications of the deal will not have become apparent until a later time.

**(Horai Island) (AKA: The Black Knight's Headquarters) (The capital city of the Black Empire)**

When the members of the Black Knights landed on this manmade island, they were immediately put to work on establishing order around the sections of the island. With so many empty buildings and unused facilities, they were quick to make the whole island their new base of operation. With the amount of resources they brought with them from Japan, it was only obvious to everyone that they were preparing for a big clash.

Never before had Horai Island saw such activity happen around its port areas and air fields. On one side of the island, hundred of ships were lining up on the docks, unloading large amount of provisions on the wharf which was then carried on the backs of Knightmares to their designated zones. On another side, the Black Knights aerial fleet that made its debut earlier that day was being refitted at the hanger area for combat.

But of course, the only ones who were truly surprised about this were the original members of the organization. Ohgi of course was part of it because he and the others still had a difficult time believing what was happening at the moment. About a year ago, the Black Knights were thought to be a simple group of vigilante. A resistance group of wanabe Robin Hoods that fought against injustice. But then with Zero on their side, they quickly grew from a small resistance group to an organization bent on freeing Japan. They thought then that they couldn't expand any further than that, but boy did Zero prove them wrong. As of this moment, they became a country of their own. A force without a nation to serve. An empire of their own.

"This is big…" Sugiyama said out to himself as he watched the soldiers down below from one of the lookout towers with his comrades. "I can hardly believe all that's happening"

"I know what you mean" Yoshida agreed while putting down his binoculars. "Man, the Chinese Federation sure is laying a lot of recognition on us"

"There was that bit with Sawasaki too" Inoue added remembering the Kyushu battle some time ago where Zero personally made sure that the Britannians arrested him. "I'm guessing Zero's using his connections to the Chinese Federation to gain support"

"Oh yeah. I heard he was released after the Black Rebellion"

"Yeah" the girl nodded. "I bet he's using him to some influence to the High Eunuchs"

"Yeah well, I wouldn't worry much" Tamaki laughed it out. "Don't you guys know? The High Eunuchs maybe guys but they have little in between their legs ahaha" the gang laughed a bit to his joke. Though Tamaki may not be the best soldier on the field, he indeed made things quite easy for them to swallow. You could say that he was the comedic relief that everyone needed from time to time.

"You know, you'll get us in trouble for saying stuff like that Tamaki" Kallen added smirking a bit. "You'd better watch what comes out of your mouth when we meet the High Eunuchs next time"

"Aww chill out"

But their moment of solitude was quickly interrupted when a voice came in from below. "Major!" Kallen immediately recognized it as Chiba, her second in command of the Zero Squad. "Sorry to interrupt, but I need you to help offloading the Knightmares at the docks"

"What?" the red head quirked in amazement. "They're here already? (Yes…) Now that's really odd. Something has to be going on behind the scenes for India and Burma to be giving us this much cooperation"

"Nah, I think it's just that they're serious" Minami replied turning his head towards the docks. "They want their independence from the Chinese Federation as well"

"Rakshata mentioned that too" Sugiyama noted. "Considering our location and our strength and fame, we're probably their only hope for freedom"

"I heard that Rakshata used her old connections with the Maharaja's cabinet group to fund the development of the Ikaruga and the other combat units. They're a shadow supporter of the Black Knights now"

"I see…" Yoshida groaned. "So if the High Eunuchs discover what we're actually trying to do, they'll deny all support to us and say that we stole all of these supplies from them"

"It's a risky plan" Inoue crossed her arms together in light of this new information. "But I guess everything that we do now has risk in them. Now that the E.U. is on its last leg fighting against Britannia, the world is losing fast on hope. The Black Knights are now more than just an idol to the world now… we're their ray of freedom"

"Yeah" Kallen sighed out before replying to her subordinate. "Alright Chiba, I'll go to the docks in a minute. I think they're more people down by the factories. Try and ask the leaders there if they can spare a few men to help"

"Understood. I'll report everything to Zero afterwards, Major" she then saluted and left without another word.

Chiba was one of the more serious officers around the Black Knights. Unlike the original members who are sloppy and sometimes casual at best, she was pretty much the symbol of order and discipline around these parts. However, her strangely cold attitude seems to attract many suitors and yet at the same time, it somehow distanced herself to the older members.

"Man, she's really stiff" Sugiyama noted. "Out of all the times I've seen her with you Kallen, she's never been casual at all"

"Yeah, I noticed that too" the Ace of the Black knights sighed in admittance. "I just wished she would be more normal you know. I guess she really is a soldier type after all"

"Hey guys!" again they were interrupted when Ohgi's voice perked in from below. "Would you mind lending me a hand with the com gears? Zero said that we need to set up the satellite uplink as soon as possible"

"Alright, we're coming" Minami answered back. "Come on Tamaki let's go. (Aww man!) Yoshida, you stay here and direct the supply runs throughout this sector. Inoue, you can get on with managing the hanger area where we can load our ships. (Right…) Sugiyama and Kallen can help with the Knightmares"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the command center of Horai Island which was situated at the very center of the place, Zero, Jeremiah and C2 were making some final preparations on the tower which communicated with each and every facility of the island. Even though the island was indeed handed to them by the Chinese Federation, it was far from completion due to the lack of funding by the High Eunuchs. The island was planned to be a gathering point for refugees but was later scrapped when the project was directed to other 'important' tasks.

So to put it bluntly, most of the island's primary functions were barely even on at the time. Many of its wires still had to be redirected to other areas and there wasn't even a single light bulb in that area that did not have a problem.

"This is ridiculous!" Jeremiah stated out irritatingly as he sparked up the wires in the control room. Since the air conditioner wasn't even installed in the building he had to remove his uniform and force to do manual labor around the room. He may be cybernetic at some parts but his human body was still capable of feeling extensive heat. "They don't even have air conditioner in the room and lift is broken? How do the High Eunuchs expect us to work at such a place much less 'live' in it!?"

But C2 remained just as she was. Instead of helping the others, she decided to sit back and relax while enjoying a fresh batch of pizza she brought along from Japan.

But while Jeremiah was busy fixing the com, Diethard and Zero were busy discussing the details of the system in Horai Island.

"We've finished picking out the municipal leaders on each sectors" the media man reported. "I've assigned each one of them to all three areas of the island: One in the Residential block, two in the industrial block and another in the agricultural block just in case. The military staff leaders will be handled by Tohdoh. He's already brought up a list and recommended a few of them" he then handed his leader a small pad-paper with a long list of names written carefully on each line. The ones Tohdoh highlighted were probably the ones he recommended. "I'll leave the picking of the High Command Chain to you"

"Excellent" Zero replied after a brief scan of the paper. "That only leaves us with the Security Officers and Staff command for the combat ships. I'll be leaving on a mission myself to deliver some new weapons to be developed in Burma. Tohdoh can handle the military and civic order while I'm gone"

"Correct. Let's work with the intelligence section and get that set up. Now then, if you'll excuse me" and with a slight gesture of a bow, the man left, leaving Zero behind to plan his next move.

But just as soon as the door was closed tight and locked from within, Jeremiah let out a slight groan when he finally got one of the computers to finally work. "Finally. Our communication array here is finally established. At least now we won't have to scream at each other through the window if we want someone to hear us"

"Indeed. But there's still plenty of work that needs to be done" Zero motioned as he dimmed the windows a bit. Once he was sure that there weren't any cameras in the room he took off his ask and got himself a little breather. "The High Eunuchs left us with only a few crates of food to feed us off. It'll probably hold out for a month or two until we have the capability to produce our own food at the agriculture block"

"I agree…" the green haired man then wiped the sweat off his brow and carefully close the wire box with its last plug. "But in either case, are you sure we can depend on Diethard? I've known him for a time when I was still a soldier in Japan. He likes to act on his own and likes to be a hero at times, just like what he did with his own intelligence force during the Black Rebellion. His whole group is practically made of extremists like himself"

"On the contrary, he's quite easy to read. (Hmm?) In that man's mind, he's trying to turn Zero into a symbol for God. Like a living avatar of chaos and order. Going on from there you can guess what actions he'll take. Besides, his majesty has still need of some use to him. He has a useful talent for manipulating information"

"Hmm… you're getting the hang of being Zero. I guess you really are learning"

A few minutes later, another side door suddenly opened up which caught the gang's attention. When the figure came in, Elie let out a smile. "Monica. You're here early. I'm guessing that the secret underwater escape route beneath the 'spire' is still operational?"

"Yes" the girl replied still in her trance mode. The red rings around her eyes were slightly obvious but some would probably guess it as some sort of contact lens. She was now wearing her Knights of Zero uniform which was clad in gold and black. Her cape was also that with similar colors with a Black Knight insignia printed on its bow. That alone represented her status within the Order. "Though the elevator maybe rusted, it is still in working condition"

"Good" Elie smirked before taking a look at the watch on his wrist. "It's time for the scheduled transmission. Jeremiah, switch the frequency"

"Of course" after pressing a few buttons on the console and turning the light down a bit a transmission came through the monitor screen revealing Lelouch's face. Once the dark lord has made his face apparent, the three knights in the tower bowed to the presence of their master. His very image dwarfed the presence even those of ants. "Lord Lelouch, you honor us with your presence"

"You're right on time, Jeremiah" Lelouch stated out with a pleased mood to go for show. From the sight of the background he seemed to be in Ashford at the moment continuing his role as a student. "I've already heard the news about the secession of the Black Knights. It was broadcast all over the world last night. Very well played Elie. You've done me proud"

The blonde knight lowered his head slightly in recognition. "It was nothing your highness. The information was easily manipulated"

"Good. Now I don't have much time. My school will be starting in fifteen minutes. Give me the brief detail on the situation on Horai Island"

"Yes your majesty" Elie quickly placed a data disc in the computer and added it into the console. "I'm sending you the list of staff leaders and municipal leaders of the island as well as the names and details of all the members in the Black Knights. As of right now our numbers grow into the ranks of hundreds. India and Burma has been providing us with great support as well"

"And the weapons I've designed?"

"Rakshata and Lloyd are working on it. However I found it best that we split the two up before things go from bad to worst. I've already set up a lab for Lloyd in Burma. Since we can't cross through the Thailand air defense network, I decided to take a long route, crossing through Andaman Sea. I'll escort the two vital weapons there myself personally"

"Very well. I will then assume my post there as Zero on my arrival"

"Yes. Also…" Elie paused for a bit as if worried about something. "I'm also delivering some scarce data on Li Xingke"

"Xingke?" Lelouch raised a brow in question.

"A Chinese military officer. I met him earlier during our greetings on Horai Island. I've made some info gathering on him and it seems like he has a faction of his own within the Federation. I would highly recommend watching this man closely. He may prove a threat to us"

Lelouch didn't really see much why the man was such a big deal but he didn't make Elie his apprentice for nothing. "Alright then I'll review him as well. I'll be leaving for Horai by next week. Have the facility running by then"

"What about the OSI, my lord?" Jeremiah questioned a bit worried of the secret service force. "Won't they suspect your disappearance?"

"That matter has been taken care of. The OSI is now firmly in my hands. With them on my side I can now begin striking Britannia from within using their own personal army" if one would look at this meeting right here and now they would immediately try to picture it more like a dark council of the dark lord and his minions preparing to terrorize the world.

"Did you have to use your Geass on them?" C2 asked boringly on the sidelines.

"As it turned out, I didn't have to" the young prince answered with a small smirk up his lips. "They were very much persuaded the moment they caught sight of the Black Knight fleet. I'll admit that you've raised quite a sizable army for me Elie. (My lord…) But in either case, continue on with the operations. I'll review your work when I have time. Jeremiah, you remain there. When I arrive, you and I will begin our plans to take control of the Federation"

Jeremiah bowed with absolute glee. "It will be an honor your majesty"

"Monica. You will aid Elie on his mission. Continue to follow his orders as before until given further instructions"

"Yes, your majesty" the young knight replied as obedient as ever.

With all the details of the meeting given, Lelouch leaned back on his seat and slowly downloaded the info sent to him. "This concludes our meeting for today. I will make arrangements for our next transmission later. Also… C2 (Hmm?) There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you. Remain on standby at Horai island and await my arrival"

"Yes of course, I understand"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the port block of the island, Lt. Colonel Tohdoh and his men were busy overseeing the preparations of their stay here. With hundreds of crates and men walking through the road and heavy machineries working without stop, it was difficult to manage everything at once. There were more than enough space for everyone to live comfortably on the island but the problem was organizing them properly. Ranks and status quote were to be considered and large facilities like the old apartments block were to be converted to housing areas.

The man was certain that Zero was planning to make Horai Island a nation of its own and that would mean families will soon be moving in here. It was a crazy strategy but a strategy no less on his part. To make a country that dedicated itself to oppose all injustice in the world was something very few could've seen coming. But now came one of the harder parts of organizing them all.

As Tohdoh looked at the detailed map of Horai Island he was immediately impressed and disappointed at the same time, on its construction. Indeed the plan for making this manmade wonder was a genius but when the Chinese government stopped its construction, many of its technological and logistical uses were put to waste. The amount of soldiers that Zero exiled from Japan barely even fit 1/15 of a block and there were four of them in total.

Diethard had already set up municipal leaders on each block each with both Zero and his consents. Right now the residential block would be where all the civilians and families of the Black Knights will be stationed under their protection for future reference. Hospitals and other recreational facilities would also be constructed there to accommodate casualties as well.

The second block was the industrial block which was surprisingly well made by the investors of this island. Tohdoh had to admit that if that place was working on full efficiency, they could probably outmatch a small country's working industry. The factories there were mostly automated so they could probably replace damage Knightmares and vehicles rather quickly if they had adequate resources. This of course also seemed to spur another problem for the Black Knights.

Even though they were able to squeeze resources from Japan's fragile industry, the new nation that Zero formed will probably rely heavily on imports. Food source wouldn't be a problem since an entire block was formed to be an agricultural area where farm animals both land base and aquatic can be raised and vegetables and fruits of different kind can be grown in environmental control domes. But the biggest problem would be the supplies that can only be bought from the inland and that alone would take a heavy strain on its economy.

The last but not the least was of course the military and security block. It was here that all international and commercial flights were to be taken care of. It was here that all military activities were to be handled. And it was here where the Black Knights new headquarters was to be stationed. With the command center located directly in the spiral tower of the island, it was quickly converted to be a symbol of control over the people.

Tohdoh would've questioned why the architect of this magnificent structure would design something so twisted. The tower itself formed a spiral, like a giant drill poking out of the ground.

But nonetheless, it was a suitable location. The fleet that Zero amassed from Japan had already landed there and they already being refitted for proper combat. The army they had now was large enough to hold off a siege against Britannia and perhaps with enough time they would be strong enough to match against the Britannian in a head on battle.

Back during the battle of Japan and Tokyo, the resistance members had to rely purely on tactical and strategic work done by their leader. If they had went on against another man like Calares in a pure fight of brute strength then it was obvious who was going to be the victor.

"Commander Tohdoh" Urabe called out from the back bringing the man out of his thoughts. "We've finished unloading the supplies from carrier"

"Good. Asahina, you ensure security around the military block. We won't need the other areas yet so we'll keep those as secondary objectives"

"Yes sir. But what about Zero sir?" the glassed samurai questioned.

"He'll be personally escorting a supply transport to Burma and will be ensuring their support. He left me and Ohgi in temporary command to ensure the base is operational"

Urabe nodded. But before he departed to his task he decided to let out a question that's been bothering him for some time now. "Are you sure it's best to follow him sir? Zero, I mean…"

"Don't get the wrong idea into your head Urabe" Tohdoh answered. "I'm doing this for my country and my country alone. You may think this method is way out of line but if we are to ensure the safety of Japan we will have to eliminate all of its enemies. (Huh?) Do you really think that Britannia would simply let us be after all the humiliation and trouble we caused them? I doubt they're that forgiving. The fight we had near Tokyo bay was proof of that already. Eventually, once the E.U. has been crushed, they will turn their attention to us and even with Zero we won't be able to stop their massive armies from crushing us"

"I see…"

"This act to defend our homeland. Even if it means working with foreign nations it is still a necessary act. Trust in Zero… and I'm sure that he'll lead us somewhere…"

**(Britannia) (Ashford University)**

"Geh…!" Lelouch's face was mixed with the emotion of horror and surprise when first period class began. It all started when the rumors of a new transfer student was coming from a far away land. A man of noble title higher than Lelouch of course. But as always, he had no interest with such matters since no detailed information was being released about the person. However… he soon came to regret that decision when the boy finally showed his face in class. In that split moment the whole class stood up in attention as if they saw a celebrity in front of them.

Suzaku Kururugi…

"Hello everyone" the White Knight of Britannia began. "My name is Suzaku Kururugi and I'll be returning to classes here at Ashford University starting today. I look forward in studying here"

Of course, at usual time, the presence of the 'number' to be studying in a Britannian school was surprising news. But this boy was no mere number in the eyes of the people. To everyone who knows of his deed and fighting frame, Lancelot, they all came to recognize him as the Knight of Seven, one of the Knights of the Round.

"Suzaku Kururugi? The guy who killed the original Zero back then?" one of the students muttered in amazement.

"The White Death is coming to school, here?"

"He's the Knight of Seven" and the list went on for as long as Lelouch could take it.

"Ok, that's enough" Villetta stated out, silencing the class immediately. But in truth, she was actually sweating buckets as her eyes darted to Lelouch. She and the rest of the OSI were now firmly in his hands like pawns in a chess game. "Sir Kururugi has been reassigned here in Pendragon so he'll be studying here until he finishes his last two years. Why don't you take the desk next to…" she paused for a moment when she caught the prince's finger signaling to the table next to him. "Uh… there. You can take that desk next to Lelouch for now?"

"Yes ma'am" and slowly when Suzaku made his way to the boy's desk, Lelouch's mind went through a rerun of his previous life as Zero.

"_Suzaku/Lelouch…… you…"_ but little did they know that their trains of thoughts were going on the exact same direction. _"… you were the first real friend I ever had. But… the war tore us apart. The second Pacific War, the conflict in which Britannia took control of Japan. After its defeat, Japan became an area colony of Britannia"_

"_I, who was abandoned by my homeland…"_

"_I, who was forced to abandon my homeland…"_

"_When we were reunited, we were neither enemies nor allies"_

"_Even if I was Japanese… I was also a Britannian soldier"_

"_And I…… took up the mask and the mantle of Zero and became known as the hero of the world. We both hid our true identities and intentions…"_

"… _and we fought each other…"_

"_However… those are memories of what really happened. By then the emperor rewrote three things in my memory. Nunnally. All things about me being related to Zero. And finally… that I…… was a prince of the royal family of Britannian"_

"_And so… the two of us now… are reunited once again on the place where it should've been…… a normal school just like any other…"_

When both Lelouch and Suzaku finally met each other face to face, the dark lord put all of his motion into playing his greatest act yet. "Hey, welcome back. It's been some time…"

Suzaku's face suddenly brightened up slightly as he got a response. "I missed everyone a lot"

It wasn't long then until Shirley came in. "Suzaku, welcome back! It feels like forever since you came here!"

Followed by her was Rivalz who jumped onto the knight's back with a wide smile on his face. "You've really come up in the world, haven't you?"

It didn't even take long then until Milly, who was supposedly a senior student enter the class room. "Suzaku's back!? Where is he?!"

"Madam president, class is in progress, do you mind?" Lelouch humored which every one threw in a laugh or two. But while everyone else enjoyed themselves with the company of the Knight of Seven none of them could see the wide grin growing upon the dark lord's lips_. "You messed up Suzaku. By immediately hearing the name Lelouch, you just walked right to my side. In other words: you acted as if you already knew me from a long time ago. Now… to make sure that Rolo doesn't do anything stupid… I'll have to discuss some detailed changes to my plan with the OSI"_

**(Lunch time) (OSI outpost)**

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Lelouch questioned to the small OSI officers including Villetta who sat with him on the meeting table. The moment the Black Prince gave out the question, they all flinched in fear of him. "You should've told me that Suzaku was coming. I would've been more prepared to face him"

"Uh…" the younger rookie gulped a chunk of his saliva before replying. "We weren't informed of his transfer until this morning… your h… highness. The high command only said that an extra agent will be sent but they were not given any specific details on who it would be. We were just as surprised as you are… sire…"

Lelouch rubbed the temples on his head and tapped the black king of the chess board onto the table slightly. There were several pawns scattered on the large board and the black pieces seemed to be gathering at one point. That alone signified the Black Knights current position. Right now his black king was at the center of the white army and everything was going great until a white knight reared its unwanted head into the fray.

"I see" the dark lord stated out. "I never expected him to come and face me so quickly. I thought that he would still be assigned to Schneizel fighting against the E.U. Though he may be a hindrance, it doesn't change our strategic objective. We just need to bend our tactics by a few margins"

"We could assign an agent to watch him" Villetta suggested still a bit uncomfortable with the boy's presence. "He'll be staying here until the replacement of the new Minister of National Guards takes place"

"The new minister?" Lelouch raised his brow before remembering the incident at Matoir mall. "Oh yes. I remember asking the rebels to kill minister Owel. But I don't remember it being said on the news" the men in the room tensed a bit except for Rolo who was already used to death. "Do you happen to know who will be taking his place?"

"Not yet. But we have a hunch that it will be a member of the royal family"

"Another bureaucrat huh? Well that's no surprise. (sigh) In either case our plans doesn't change. I'll deal with Suzaku myself. You may act like you've been observing me as you have been. (Yes, your majesty) Also… Coach Villetta… (Y… yes?) The Student Council President will be holding a welcoming party for him. You may tell him that"

"Of course… as you wish your highness"

"And that reminds me…" Lelouch let out a small sigh as he turned his eyes to the woman. "Shirley has been asking about you to join with the swimming club café. You should participate since all the teachers and faculties will be participating in this event"

**(Pendragon outer perimeter baseline defense)**

Guilford let out a sigh to himself. He was tired… extremely tired to put it at a better state. After his return from the failed campaign to recapture Japan with Princess Guinevere he was dismissed from her service by the emperor and was now reassigned to prince Schneizel as a rear guard commander along with the Glaston Knights. Now that Princess Cornelia was no longer around and his good comrade Andreas Darlton dead, the man felt kind of lost. It was as if he had lost his sense of purpose in life.

"Lord Guilford" Claudio Darlton, one of Andreas's sons called out to him. "We've finished with the preparations for the rearrangements of security. I've already assigned them to the chief of staff here at the base"

"I see, thank you Claudio" the knight acknowledged with a depressing bow. "That should be the last task around here. All that's left is to secure the perimeter and we should be done. Restoring order on the outskirts of Pendragon should be our top priority"

"Yes sir. Also, there's something I wish to ask. (Hmm?) My brothers and I have been wondering. Why were we put so far to the rear? I thought we were assigned to Prince Schneizel at the frontlines"

"I understand your discontent, but the prince has ordered that we make sure that our homeland was secured. Thanks to Zero's sudden reappearance we had to double our security"

"But still. The Black Knights are in the Chinese Federation. And now that Japan is siding with them we're at a disadvantage"

"You worry too much" Guilford let out a smile even though his eyes were showing that eternally sad look on his face. "I'll admit that I too… wish to vent my anger to Zero for what he did to Princess Euphemia. His actions back then was probably the reason for Princess Cornelia's disappearance as well. But……… even if I could strike him down, it won't bring her back"

"I see. My apologies for bringing back such memories. I had no intentions of doing that"

"No, please don't be" the man waved it off. "I'm actually quite glad that you're speaking your mind. I'd rather listen to what you think than to hear what the staff officers have to say about the change of personnel. But I'm sure we'll be sent to the frontlines soon enough. Just bide your time and relax while you can"

"Indeed. Now if you'll excuse me Lord Guilford, I'll go back and inform my brothers about the…" he wasn't able to finish when the ground suddenly began to shake to the sudden explosion that erupted from the hanger bay. "What the!?"

Immediately the speakers of the room sounded in. "Emergency! Unknown MRF (Multi-Role Fighter) within the perimeter of the base!"

"What is it!?" Guilford demanded.

"No way!" Claudio barked out in disbelief. "This base has the most advance radar system in the world! How could an enemy fighter make a surprise attack on us!?"

Guilford then ran up to the radio and gave out orders to his men. "All units, red alert! We are under attack. Glaston Knights, report to the hanger! Activate all automated defense system!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hahaha!" Gino Weinberg, the Knight of Three let out a small laugh as he charged his jet through the hole he made on the defense base. "Getting in here sure was tough. Their defense network was tough but patrols were surprisingly sloppy. If this were an invasion then Pendragon could fall already! Come on! Is this the best line of defense their perimeter base has to offer?"

His question was then answered when a large group of Sutherlands appeared out from their hangers and sent out a barrage of bullets coming his way. "Shoot it down!" shouted the commanding officer to his men.

"Aha… perhaps I was being a bit hasty!" the blonde knight then flew up again and dodged every shot that came his way. Right when the platoon was reloading he fired off his Harken Boosters and professionally disarmed all of them with one swing. "Hehehe… too easy" but then his eyes widened once again when the Glaston Knight made their appearance on the runway area. "Oh?"

"I don't know who you are… but this ends right here and now!" Alfred Darlton shouted out standing along with his three brothers, Bart, David and Edgar in their respective frames.

"Pitiful" Gino stated plainly. "That armament shows that you care more about protecting a building. Oh well… too bad" and with a twist of the control sticks, the jet that he was piloting suddenly transformed into a Knightmare frame with two long horns at the top and a face made of silver and silicon.

Immediately, those who know about the weapon specs of such a mech would be able to recognize the frame instantly. "What the!?"

"That frame… could it be the one…?"

"I see…" Edgar nodded in recognition. "So that's what we're dealing with? The variable Knightmare frame, Tristan, which makes you Lord Gino Weinberg, the Honorable Knight of Three. Am I correct?

"You are" the man replied proudly. "I'm putting you guys to the test! Alright. Try and stop me!" he then drew out his scythe like weapon and pointed it at the knights before him.

"Very well then, we accept your challenge!" Bart swung his spear up in acceptance to his offer. "We cannot allow this insult to go unanswered"

"Don't hold back. Give me your best shot!"

"As you wish!" Edgar charged in first. "David, you take left, Alfred, you take right. Bart, you're with me! Strike him down on all sides! (Roger!)"

"Well this is certainly a warm welcome" Gino let out a good laugh. Even though it was a four on one match, his title as a Knight of the Round proved true by his skill in combat. He was able to deflect each and every one of their attacks with ease and even manage to take a shot at their heads while counter asserting their moves. "Now let's end this up with a little twirl!" the Glaston Knights charged again but not without being pinned by the Tristian's Harken Boosters. "And that's that…" and with one swift move, all four Gloucesters were disabled.

"Gehh…!" Edgar seethed through his teeth as he saw this. "Dammit all…"

"Look at you guys" Gino added insult to injury. "You guys can't ever stop a single guy from coming through. I'm actually surprised you guys were even gahh!" but he was silenced the moment his frame was hit by something. "Who the…?"

"Lesson number one…" Guilford stated out as he and Claudio appeared from the hanger bay. But this time, Guilford was riding on a strange looking Knightmare that resembled a mass-production form of the Lancelot. "Never turn your back on an enemy unless you're absolutely sure he's disarmed or defeated!"

"Well well…" the Knight of Three smirked. "That must be the new mass-production frame based on the Lancelot system, the Vincent. That must make you, Baron Gilbert G.P. Guilford. I never thought I would see you here of all places. I gotta say that I'm pretty impressed by your achievements. I heard you turned down the offer of becoming the new Knight of the Round"

"That is correct. Rank and titles mean little to me"

"Well then, I guess you won't mind honoring me with a proper duel?"

"I don't" Guilford nodded in his frame before signaling Claudio's unit. "Claudio, don't interfere"

"As you wish, Lord Guilford" the man then backed off, going on to aid his brothers that were down. "All units stand down. Do not interfere with this match"

As most of the debris standing between Guilford and Gino were soon cleared from the runway, both knights changed into their combat stances and readied themselves for battle. "Before we begin Lord Guilford, you mind if I ask you a question? (Hmm?) Why did you reject the offer becoming a Knight of the Round? Most officers or noblemen who received that title wouldn't even hesitate to accept it. You're probably the first I've ever known to refuse it"

"My reasons are my own…" he answered a bit shaky about the subject.

"Aha. So I'm guessing you're still holding a torch for Princess Cornelia? Hehe… oh well. I guess that's what you call a hopeless romantic person. (Huh?) Well then… on-guard!"

"Have at thee!" the two of them charged and proving true to their reputation, neither side backed down on one another. Guilford proved his abilities by using both his swords in combat against the Tristian. Their blades clashed again and again but not a single strike was able to hit them.

"Not bad…" Gino complimented gritting his teeth a bit. "The emperor was right. You do have potential to become a Knight of the Round. I might actually have to get serious here" he then swung his scythe upward smashing against the shoulder with a direct hit. "Bingo!"

"Not quite!" and Guilford countered back with a stab on the foot disabling its land spinner permanently.

"Ouch… now that was impressive" this action of course seemed to stem Gino's interest. "If I knew you were this good then I shouldn't have let down on my attack. Alright, why don't we get this going with…"

But before Gino could act, another voice called out ceasing his actions almost immediately. "Stop it!" all heads turned around and met with the small figure of Suzaku Kururugi. "That's enough! The battle's been decided"

"Sir Kururugi? The Knight of Seven?" Guilford recognized him as the knight of honor of Euphemia. "What are you…?"

"Hey Suzaku!" Gino waved up as he departed from his Tristian.

"Gino, I asked you to assess the defense of the base, not attack it with brute force" Suzaku lectured him. "You caused a lot of misunderstanding here. And where's the Lancelot? I thought I asked you to bring it here for me?"

"Yeah but the guys back at the base said they wanted to update it with some new computer or something. That girl just kept talking, I forgot to listen to the other half of what she was saying. Not to change the subject, but what's with the outfit?" he starred at the uniform the boy was wearing which looked like school clothes rather than military outfits.

"I came straight here from school" he answered. "It's required"

"Very fashionable~" the blonde knight teased.

But it wasn't long then till Guilford arrived with a rather quizzled face. "Suzaku?" that alone stated that he wanted to know what was going on.

"Sorry about that sir Guilford" Suzaku apologized. "My friend here can be a bit extreme at times but he means well. I came by to inform you that the Glaston Knights are to be reassigned to the Avalon. Prince Schneizel seems to be planning something with the Chinese Federation"

"I see… and this test was…?"

"Sorry. The Prince was also worried about the safety of the capital so he wanted to make sure that it was well protected. Although I never thought that Gino would go this far"

Guilford let out a ghost of a smile come across his lips. Though as short as it was, it was still pleasing to know that someone understood what's been going on. "I see. I'll brief the men on their mission and head off to Hollington tomorrow morning. The airfield there has been providing great support both the military and the community"

But just when things were finally starting to settle down, another voice echoed in the building followed by a giant frame that could rival Gawain in sheer size. The mech was about twice as big as a normal Knightmare and the armor alone could be seen as something not even bullets will make a scratch.

"Is it over?" said the feminine voice inside the frame.

"The Mordred?" Suzaku raised a puzzled look. "Anya came along too?"

"Is it over?" she repeated.

"Yup" Gino answered with a wide off smile. "Suzaku made me end it"

"I see…… how dull…"

"Three Knights of the Round?" Guilford questioned. It wasn't that he was surprised or anything but he knew that having three of the greatest champions in Britannia in one city was definitely unnatural. "Why all the commotion? Is there something going on in Pendragon?"

"It's to restore order back into society" Suzaku replied as he picked up his pet cat Arthur to his arms. "We've been getting reports from all around about terrorists making sneak attacks on the city. We thought that the presence of the Knights of the Round might discourage them and make the people feel more secured. Also, we'll be providing protection during the welcome party for the new minister of Pendragon who should be coming in a few days time"

"I see… well I guess it's a logical reason"

But as Guilford gaze closely as the sheer size and power of the Mordred, Suzaku turned himself towards the other frames in the hanger area. There were about 2 Knightmare companies and several tank battalions waiting on standby here at the base as well as air support and infantry corp patrolling the perimeters. _"We should have more than enough firepower assembled by now if the terrorists try anything. Lelouch… if your memories have returned, then you won't be able to resist the bait I placed to draw you out. We will see how you react when you know everything"_

**(South China Sea) (The Avalon)**

Schneizel starred emptily at the small chess table in front of him. He was riding on board the Avalon that afternoon along with his royal guards. Ever since the Black Knights made their proud declaration of force with their mighty aerial armada he had been in the greatest of moods. As he placed the chess pieces together he slowly came to realize the masked man's ideal plan.

Indeed, Zero had created not just an independent organization of its own but also a new country entirely. It was an impressive feat and not one that could be achieved without powerful connections. If Zero could get the Chinese Federation to lend him aid then he would be has to have some trick up his sleeves.

"Your highness" came the com officer. "We're receiving a transmission from the homeland through a secure channel"

"Patch it through" as the screen popped up, the man's face brightened slightly. "Ah. Nina Einstein, how good to see you again"

The girl on the other line bowed to him. "Yes. Thank you for receiving me your highness. I've come to give a report on the research being carried out. We're nearing the final stages of the test at the moment. After the simulation is done we'll transfer our group to the Floating Garden for final verification"

"Yes, please do" Schneizel acknowledged. "Sorry if I couldn't be there to watch your research. But business here has been bothering at times"

"Please, don't bother your highness. I'm certain that what you're doing is much more important than what I'm doing here" the girl nodded. "Are you heading to the Chinese Federation?"

"That's the plan. But at the moment I'm going to Cambodia to meet the Todomo Agency representative. I should be back there within a month or two. Oh… that reminds me. You're currently in charge of the tuning the Lancelot, correct? Though I'm sure that Earl Asplund would hate to see his prized possession spoiled, I guess we don't have much of a choice. Keep up the good work and call me when you arrive at the Floating Garden"

"Yes your highness. The Lancelot upgrades should be done within a few hours. I'll have it sent to Pendragon first thing in the morning. Good day…" and with that the transmission was cut, leaving the prince alone again with a satisfied smile.

"Your highness" Kanon called in. "Are you sure it's safe for her to be researching this alone? Perhaps I should go back and assist her. With the amount of terrorist attacks happening in our homeland she could be endanger and…"

"You worry too much Kanon" Schneizel humored to his friend as he moved a chess piece to position. "She has been elevated to the rank of Duchess. She has all the protection and resource needed to continue on with her research safely. Besides… unlike many of us… she's driven by a certain motivation. A motivation of going against the one… who killed Euphie… a year ago…" but then suddenly the com officer on the rear side noticed something on the radar.

"Unknown enemy vessel approaching on the east vector!" he announced to everyone. "It's… it's the Black Knights!"

"An attack!?" yelled one of the officers.

"No. It's only a single vessel sir!"

"Hmm?" Prince Schneizel raised a brow in question. "What are they doing all the way down here in the South China Sea? Show it up on screen. (Yes, your highness)" the screen then popped up, revealing a giant radar map with a small blip showing on the coast of Cambodia. "A single vessel? That's unusual…"

"It could just be a patrol ship your highness" one of the advisors stated out.

"No. A single carrier like that is too big to be a patrol and their numbers are too small. It's probably on a mission. Do we know where it's heading?"

"Yes sir. We believe with the projected speed and course… they should be making their way towards the gap of Thailand"

"Hmm……" this of course proved very suspicious for Schneizel. A single ship coming so far away from its launching ground was unusual.

"It could be a transport ship" Kanon threw out a thought. "But even so, it's not well guarded enough to protect the cargo it's carrying"

"Unless, the Black Knights doesn't want to let anyone know what they're transporting. Hmm. At this area, we should be clear of any Chinese Federation forces. Turn the helm around and deploy the royal guards. We'll engage them"

"Yes, your highness"

**(South China Sea) (Black Knight mobile carrier)**

Zero (Elie) sat patiently in the carrier as he played a game of chess with himself by the bridge. He was accompanied by the Zero Squad and Lloyd Asplund and his assistant to Burma to begin developing the new weapons that was said to be the finest in the world. Because of the secrecy that was needed of the project and the possibility of spies within the rank, Zero had to take no chances and move the whole research team to a place where even his connections would not be able to reach.

"Commander Zero" came the com officer who piloted the ship. "We'll be arriving at Thailand International Airspace. We should be able to pass through without hindrance to the Burmese mountain area on schedule"

"Excellent" Zero exclaimed with a bored expression if that was even possible. "My contact in the Burmese government should give us clearance. Have the Knightmares loaded at the hanger bay just in case"

"Yes sir"

While the men were off doing their duty, Lloyd decided to come in and have a word with his employer. "Well now. Looks like everything's going smoothly as you predicted" he stated out in his usual singsong tone. "But I must ask. Is it really necessary to move our new models all the way out here? I mean I understand the need of secrecy, but going all the way to Burma is a little far out don't you think?"

"The secrecy of this weapon is a definite must" the masked leader stated while moving a chess piece to topple the white bishop. "If Britannia should ever learn about these weapons, they'll be able to build better models. And if not, they would at least know of its existence and prepare counter measures for it. The element of surprise will be our greatest weapon when these weapons come into play"

"Aha~ So you plan to use them as trump cards other than the Guren?" the scientist turned his eyes to Kallen who eyed him suspiciously. "I'd say that's a good start, but how will you solve the problem at hand my lord?"

"The Chinese Federation will have to wait. For now, we've already finished our move"

"But you're serious about toppling the High Eunuchs?" Chiba Nagase motioned as she stood across from Zero's seat. "The Chinese Federation provided much in the aid of Japan. Attacking them would be a serious offense. Also… Lady Kaguya is a good friend of the Chinese Empress. Will she agree to this?"

"Worry not" Zero answered back with a bright smile. "When we take over the Chinese Federation… it will be us who will stand as the heroes of this war. The countries under their rule have been sapped dry and the people are wishing for a great change. While the High Eunuchs grow fat and wealthy the people are drained of their life, rights and culture. I will grant them this change. I will grant their wish and make sure that whoever is responsible for this poverty, pay for his or her sin"

Lloyd smirked. "So all in all… you'll manipulate the information"

"Information is simply another thing fabricated by man"

But then suddenly just as they were having this little conversation, the com officer picked up something on the monitor. "Alert. We're detecting a small group of Knightmares at the Starboard side including a large carrier"

"What?" Zero raised a brow. "I thought that this area was supposed to be clear. Show it up on screen" the officer did so, but when Zero caught sight of the small platoon on the monitor, his eyes widened largely. "That vessel…… isn't that…?"

"The Avalon?" Cecile finished with a puzzled face. "Did the Britannians build another one?"

"Well that's no surprise" Lloyd waved it off. "Since the last one was captured by the Black Knights during the Black Rebellion, it's no wonder they would build another one"

"But if that's true then…" Zero motioned as his thoughts began to panic. "The commander of that ship would…… Schneizel…!"

"Bingo…"

"_Damn… I never expected to be facing the Prince out here of all places. But why is he here? C2's reports should've been accurate. Unless……… he's actually here for another reason…"_

"Zero…" Kallen muttered out. "What should we do?"

"Fighting them head on will be foolhardy. They have the advance FLOAT units and those next generation units. This carrier doesn't have sufficient firepower to combat them head on. With their superior firepower and numbers and not to mention Schneizel commanding them… we're at a disadvantage of nearly two moves. We'll have to use diversionary tactics and draw them out. Pull us closer towards the coast. They won't be able to follow if we're this close to the Chinese Federation Border"

"Yes sir!"

"Kallen, prepare the Zero Squad just in case. Once I see an opening, you are to charge in"

"Right. Chiba!"

"Right behind you sir" and with that, the two soldiers departed to their units.

But Lloyd seemed rather skeptical about this move. "Are you sure about that? Even if we could get to Burma in one piece, they might discover our secret research facility"

"I've a backup plan just in case that happens. Lord Asplund, Ms. Croomy, please standby at the emergency vessel and oversee the loading of the weapons. We'll use the carrier as a smoke screen. All guns, prepare to fire on my mark"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on board the Avalon, Schneizel could already see what his opponent was trying to do. "They're trying to escape" he humored himself. "Load up the cannons. Have the Knightmare units engage while the Avalon provides covering fire"

"Yes, your highness"

The cannons onboard the Avalon soon commenced fire on the Black Knight carrier trying to burn its tail to bits.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Tch… so it's begun" Zero gritted his teeth together. "Their Knightmares will come on next. Kallen, Chiba. (Sir!) Grapple on the carrier and engage the enemy forces as they approach. Use guerilla tactics if necessary. Our priority is to protect this ship, the enemy doesn't have to be defeated here"

"Understood!" with that word alone, the hanger bay doors opened and Kallen was quick to jump onto the wings of the small carrier that floated in the air. "Chiba, stay close to me. Give and Take formation. Ready your weapons. (Roger!) Alright… come at me!"

As the Britannian Knightmares hastily approach the aircraft, the Black Knights onboard began their defense. Multiple small round guns and cannons commenced their attack but those alone would not be enough to stop top notch pilots of the royal guards.

"The enemy vessel has limited defenses" said the captain of the unit. "We have the advantage. Just take out its rudder and we're free and clear!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Wait! I got a visual on two Knightmares on board the enemy craft" one of the pilots noted the obvious red figure standing on top of the carrier. As he zoomed in his eyes widened slightly. "It's… it's the Guren! The Devil's Right Hand!"

"What!? Then does that mean… Zero is inside that ship?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well what fortunate luck" Schneizel cheered slightly bemused by himself. "We can strike two birds with one stone if that proves to be true. Have the reserve units advance. Continue firing on the enemy carrier"

"Yes, your highness"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Move the carrier out of range of their cannons" Zero ordered trying to par himself with Schneizel's tactics. "Keep moving and try not to stay in one place for too long. Zero Squad, swat those flies off our windshield" but in the man's mind, he was thinking that this may be an opportunity for himself. _"Come at me Prince Schneizel. Come at me…… your fall here will be my dissension to Zero!"_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Outside the carrier, Chiba fired her Slash Harken on an unsuspecting Knightmare in mid air, trapping it like a fly. "Gotcha! Now Major!"

"Right!" Kallen then rushed in and used her RWS (Radiant Wave Surger), destroying the enemy frame completely. "One down… a few more to go! This battle is taking its toll. It's damn frustrating that we couldn't take the new models out for a spin. I just wish Rakshata would hurry up with that new F.E.V. system for the Guren!"

"We're outmatched in both frames and numbers" Chiba added with a soft groan before unleashing a hail of bullets at the other enemy Knightmares. "But even so… they're facing against the ace of the Black Knights!"

As the Britannian royal guards slowly hovered over the ship, the captain of the squad quickly noted the Black Knights' strategy. "They have no air superiority against us. The carrier has limited weapon and their only support unit is that Devil's Right Hand and her partner. Take both of them out and they'll be defenseless. Squad one focus fire on the enemy Knightmares. Squad two, you're with me. We'll destroy their rudders and sink that ship to the bottom of the bay. Don't worry about flying either. These barbarians don't have any shield systems so they're wide open!"

"Yes, my lord!"

But Kallen was quick in her thinking. When she saw the pattern of the enemy's flight path she realized that they were aiming for… "The engines!?" with a quick motion of her Guren she hastily made her way to the ship's rudder and activated her RWS to create a small shield around the area. "Not so fast!"

"Major!" Chiba motioned before firing her gun again on the enemy.

"Don't worry about me Chiba. I got this side! You protect the second rudder"

"Uh… understood!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero gritted his teeth irritatingly as he saw the battle slowly going worse by the second. If he wasn't forced to wear this mask all the time he would've already been charging out there with a Knightmare frame blasting all of those small fry without much of a scratch. But sadly he only brought the Zero Squad with him and the new Knightmares in the hanger were not ready for combat yet.

"_The Zero Squad are holding their ground, but it won't last for long. The enemy numbers are too great and from that angle they're exposed to the Avalon's cannons. We're at a disadvantage here but…… I won't be the one running from this fight!"_

"Draw in the battle line!" the masked leader said suddenly. "Lower our speed and turn this ship around. Load missile tubes 8-15 and fire only on my mark"

"Y… yes sir!"

"Pilot, how long until the weapons are loaded in the emergency shuttle?"

The helmsman looked onto the screen for a second before replying. "About fifteen minutes sir. Lloyd Asplund is currently supervising their transfer"

"Very well then. Fifteen minutes is all that need. Full speed towards the Avalon. We'll use this thing as a ramming tool. Have the other sections evacuate to the emergency shuttle as well"

"Yes sir!"

**(The Avalon)**

Kanon's eyes widened so largely that moment when he saw the Black Knight carrier turned around to face them. "What? A head on move? Are they trying to use the carrier to ram us head on?"

"Hmm… an impressive strategy" Schneizel smirked. "I remember seeing someone in the E.U. use the same method too. Have our reserve units withdraw and have the Avalon turn westward towards the coast. All other units are to resume firing on the carrier. If Zero really is on that vessel, then this war would be won before it even began"

"But what about the Guren pilot and its partner, sir?"

"They're of no use to us. Even though they've proven to be such efficient fighters they are nothing more but a collected military force"

**(Back on the BK carrier)**

"Enemy air craft is now within range of our weapons!"

Zero nodded and slowly waved his hand in a dramatic pose. "Right then… all guns, commence fire! We'll put ourselves on par with the Avalon. There weapons may be state of the art, but even so, it's still just one ship. Chiba, Kallen, get ready to abandon ship on my command! (Roger!) We'll show Schneizel the difference between our levels! Once we get to their starboard side we'll fire every round we have onto it… and then detonate the ship. If we can take him down… then this war will be a smooth one for all of us"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kallen let out a grunt as she swung her Guren to catch another frame by the leg. "Let me see you burst Britannian!" she fired a shot of her gauntlet and quickly release it before the frame exploded. "Ughh! These guys just don't know when to quit! Get lost!" launched herself towards another Knightmare and fired her grenade launcher to it.

"What the hell are with these guys!?" one of the Britannian pilots panicked. "They don't have any FLOAT system, but they're still matching up against us!"

"Don't panic! Just take out that red one and we're free and clear!"

But Kallen was not one to be taken lightly even at a disadvantage. "Don't think you guys have an edge just because you can fly! I took down a Knight of the Round so you small fries are nothing to me!"

"Tch! She's good!"

"Surround her and fire! Don't let up! It's just one Knightmare… gahh wha!? AHHHH!!" and before the pilot knew it, his cockpit exploded from the RWS shot.

"Damn it! We have to fall back! All units, even we are no match for that thing!"

As the two ships slowly cross path with one another, Zero and Schneizel's face caught glimpse of one another through their windshield. Both of their eyes met and even though they were so close to each other they could do nothing but stare as time slowed.

-In chess… the pawns go first-

-Magneto from X-Men 3: The Last Stand-

The fight between the two sides may have looked like a small scale skirmish, but the strategies behind it were one of art. Neither side looked like they were going to give up and the ferocity of two wise tacticians made it all the more intense. The Avalon suffered minor damage thanks to its shield system but the Black Knights seemed to be more beaten up.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once Zero caught sight of his chance to change the course of battle he immediately ordered out his only trump card in the battle. "There! An opening! Fire all missile payloads! Hit their rear engines with everything we've got!" the officer in charge of weapons did so and fired everything that was inside the launch tubes. The missiles hit their target spot on and made considerable damage to the Avalon's engine, but its FLOAT unit still kept it afloat above the sea.

"Launch tubes empty sir! Missile rounds need at least two minutes to reload"

"That won't be necessary" Zero motioned away. "Set the carrier to ram the Avalon. We're evacuating. At least with this much damage they won't be able to follow us into Chinese territory. Have all personnel evacuate to the emergency shuttles now"

"As you wish sir"

"Kallen, Chiba. Move to plan point but keep your eyes open for the enemy"

"Understood"

**(Britannia) (Ashford University) (Lelouch's personnel dorm)**

Lelouch was sitting in front of his computer desk along with his brother Rolo that afternoon. They had their notes on the table so it was clear to anyone that they were probably doing their homework. But of course, those who knew Lelouch knew that this was just a cover up to hide himself from the ever prying eyes of Suzaku who has now taken residence in his very school.

"Yes, that's correct" the dark lord said to his little brother as they both tried to solve the math equation given to them by their teacher. "Delta-X = 2 multiplied by sin-theta divided by two is equal to 5.87 meters per second. Now on to the next equation" of course… such mathematical problems were no match against the ingenious mind of one who had liberated Japan from the hands of the Britannian army. Such calculations were perhaps even an insult to him if that was even possible.

"Wow… that's amazing" Rolo said in astonishment. He was holding onto an advance scientific calculator and had just finished putting in all the data that he needed, but Lelouch's brain worked even faster. "How do you do that big brother?"

"It's quite simple really" he replied a little proud of the compliment. "If you remember all the equations and memorize every multiplication number table from 1 to 100 then even equations like these will be easy to solve"

"I don't think I can do that much. I can barely even reach up to 12"

But then their moment together was suddenly interrupted when the beeper on Lelouch's door sounded, followed by a voice that he recognize as one of the maids that he assigned to this place. "Master Lelouch, you have a guest here for you. It's Sir Suzaku Kururugi, the Knight of Seven"

The boy let out a smile as he replied. "I see. Please send him in" a few moments later, the mentioned Knight entered the room. But as the young Japanese boy came in he couldn't help but whistle out loudly to the immense wealth that Lelouch accumulated through the past year.

"Wow Lelouch" Suzaku said in awe. "You have a personnel dormitory inside school campus!?"

"It's a private area" the boy answered taking his eyes off the monitor for minute. "It used to be the old school warehouse that was draining the school funds when the corrupt construction company said that they would repair it. When they were discovered I decided to buy this entire section of the school and make it my personal service"

"Personal service? This place covers almost half the school. You even built a gym, restaurants and even small service cafes at the corners!"

"I prefer the term 'recreational center' if you will. All the employees here are also from Hollington. Besides, I barely have time to go home so decided to bring home here instead. But even so this place also provides aid to the education system here in Ashford University. Many clubs often come here seeking help and funding from time to time"

"Really?"

"Yes" the boy said proudly to himself. "Last month I lent the Automobile Club the cars I don't use anymore from my estate in Hollington. The Wheel Club (A club that is associated with roller skates, skate boards and other things that has wheels) and the Equestrian Club borrowed the empty fields to test their mettle. And even the Drama and Film Club converted one of the school's old warehouses to a studio of their own. I heard they're even making a play for tomorrow's festival"

"So I've heard" Suzaku forced out a smile trying to at least pretend that he was being friendly with his old childhood friend.

"What about you Suzaku? What are you doing here? I thought that Milly set up a welcome party for you. Shouldn't you be at the storeroom preparing to make the world's largest pizza… again?"

"Yeah… it's still being checked out. But no worries" Suzaku waved it off before turning his head to Rolo. "Rolo, do you mind leaving Lelouch and I for a minute? I have something to discuss with him in private?"

"Huh?" the boy in question titled his head in question. "Oh sure. My homework's just finish anyway. I'll see you later big brother"

"Right. Don't cause trouble now. And call me whenever you need me" But of course, Lelouch seemed suspicious of this. His eyes sharpened as if he was suspecting his friend to attack. Once Rolo was out of the door his face turned from friendly to minor-serious. "I don't like keeping secrets from Rolo, Suzaku. What's so important that you have to send him away?"

"Sorry. But I wanted to give you this info in person" he then reach out for his pocket which cause Lelouch to sound an alarm in his head. Acting on pure basic instinct, the dark lord readjusted his hand to the lower part of his desk where his ceramic-bamboo gun was hidden. But his alarm was quickly silenced when Suzaku pulled out a ticket instead of a weapon. "This is an invite to the welcoming party for the new minister of Pendragon tomorrow night. I'm inviting you to the party"

This of course seemed to surprise Lelouch. "The new minister of the national guards? (Yup) What's this about Suzaku? You know very well that I don't attend these kinds of celebration especially with other nobles. With or without an invitation I'm not obligated or motivated to go. Besides, I'm just a Baron… the lowest rank in the noble status system"

"That's why I'm offering you this invite" the boy insisted handing the ticket closer to him. "Come on. It's a good chance for you to finally meet someone important in your life"

"And you're saying that being a close friend with a highly respected member of the Knights of the Round isn't someone important?"

"Come on. You know what I mean. If you're uncomfortable with this you can even invite Rolo too. It won't be a problem"

But Lelouch continued to bluff his way into it. "Not a chance. The last thing I want is to see Rolo being mingled with the likes of the nobility. I'd rather cut off one of my own arms than to let that happen" however… the dark lord's mind was thinking differently. _"What are you trying to do Suzaku? You've never been insistent on anything and you know well that if I have regained my memories as Zero, I wouldn't hesitate to use my Geass on whoever becomes the next minister of Pendragon. If that happens, the security force around Britannia will fall and I can easily take over this empire with but a handful of soldiers in which I already possess"_

But right before they could continue on with the conversation, a communication patch came by through Lelouch's computer. A saying of: Save by the bell works perfectly here.

"Master Lelouch…" the caller spoke up which Lelouch recognized as Sayoko. "Sorry to disturb you sir, but the science club president request to meet with you about the new EMP laser research funding"

"Tell him I've already discussed it with his vice president. The funds should be with him by next week. Thank you Sara" Sara was the alias name that he had given Sayoko as a cover up. Despite the peace treaty with Japan, the former numbers aren't exactly well liked by the nobles here in the Holy Britannian Empire. "Ugh… these guys area always so annoying"

"I can tell. They weren't that different even back in Area 11"

"You mean, Japan"

Suzaku's face thickened at the name. "Y… yeah…"

"I don't get it Suzaku. (Hmm?) Ever since Japan has been freed, why do you continue to serve Britannia? I thought that when Japan was free, you would at least visit that place once in awhile"

"It's because……" the boy paused a bit uncomfortable with the topic at hand. "It's because that Japan… was built not by the efforts of the people… but by the blood of the innocents. That kind of Japan… I don't wish to live in. The kind of world I wish to live in is made where peace is achieve and where people can do things freely on their own without prejudice"

Lelouch shifted his eyes further and allowed the words to sink in. "Hmm… your words are contradicting your own actions. You wish to bring peace yet you continue to destroy people's lives. I must say that it's a miracle that you were able to live this long with that idiotic ideal sticking out of your head all the time"

"Ouch. That hurt" Suzaku humored a bit trying to change the subject. "But in any case… will you at least come. For me? As a friend of course"

Again the dark lord turned his eyes to the ticket a bit doubtful that this was all just a friendly gesture. Whatever his old friend was planning it was definitely going to be revealed in the party. With a sigh of defeat, he let out a groan of submission. "Oh all right. But just as a favor. I don't want to linger there any longer than I have to"

Suzaku's face then beamed with joy. "Yes of course! Thanks Lelouch!" and without another word, he departed, leaving the ticket behind for the dark master to think about. _"Now Lelouch… by tomorrow… I'll find out if you truly are who you say you are…"_

**(South China Sea)**

Zero let out an annoying grunt as he watched the Black Knights slowly douse the fire that was enveloping the main hanger bay of the carrier he was on. Schneizel saw through his ruse in using the ship as a suicidal attack and kept the Avalon a good distance away even with its damaged engines. As the ship slowly went up in flames the man behind the mask couldn't help but smack himself in a ghostly manner of this embarrassment.

"Damn it. Schneizel anticipated my moves correctly and kept his ship afloat instead of attacking us with his short range weapons. How humiliating…"

"Commander Zero!" one of the soldiers called in. "The ship's ready for you sir. Please get on board quickly before the carrier sinks"

"Have the other areas been evacuated as well? (Yes sir!) And the weapons? (All aboard) Good. Then we nothing left for us here"

"We have a problem!" the pilot on the shuttle shouted out. "The controls to the hanger bay doors are busted! We're stuck in here!"

"Damn…" Zero cursed under his breath before putting up an earpiece to his mask. "Kallen, the hanger bay doors are jammed. Can you open it from the outside?"

"Roger that sir!" and within minutes, the Guren's gauntlet plunge itself through the bay door easily ripping through its metallic structure.

"Good work. Pilot, get us out of here!"

"Yes sir!" as the ship slowly burned to ashes, the shuttle made a quick getaway with both Chiba and Kallen riding on top two of the shuttles. "We're clear of the ship sir"

"Good…" Zero nodded before turning towards the window overlooking the burning carrier symbolizing his first ever defeat. "How humiliating… to suffer a defeat so easily. I guess it wasn't my place to defeat the great conqueror of Europe. But even so… I won't let you have the satisfaction of a clear win" As he saw several enemy Knightmares still surrounding the burning ship, Zero took out a switch from his cape and pressed it.

Within seconds, the whole carrier blew up into pieces, followed by a large explosion that scattered large section of the ship into different locations. The Knightmares that were hovering around it barely had the chance to get away as scraps of metal punctured through their armor, destroying them in the process.

"And that Prince Schneizel… is one of my tricks"

"Emergency alert!" the pilot shouted again. "We got enemy Knightmares dead ahead!"

"No way!" Kallen gasped as she knew that there was no way that she could possibly fight against the Britannians at this range now that she had no place to move. "I thought we got them all!"

"Impossible!" Zero smacked himself in realization. "Could it be…? Could it be that the Prince even thought about this? That we'd use the ship as bait and placed his reserve force ahead of us?! Damn… I was careless"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The enemy shuttles are now defenseless!" the Britannian captain announced to his men. "Take down the Guren and burn all of them down. Leave nothing behind!"

"Yes, my lord!" but right when the first Sutherland broke off course, a hail of bullets suddenly came out of nowhere, damaging his cockpit. "Wha…!? What the hell!? Ahhh!!"

The captain of the squad turned his attention around and soon came to see a black Sutherland equipped with a FLOAT unit similar to their own. "What the heck?! Who the hell is tha…ahhhh!!" he was barely able to dodge the missile when it hit him.

"The Black Knights have reinforcements!?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Zero caught sight of the Knightmare he immediately knew who it was. _"That Knightmare… could it be… Jeremiah?"_

"Is that… Orange?" Kallen muttered in question as she saw how skillfully their reinforcement broke through the enemy formation.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Even Schneizel seemed a little impressed. Though he was disheartened to see his prey get away, he was had to admit that the Black Knights had spirit.

"Hmm… enemy reinforcements? I didn't see that coming"

"Damn terrorist!" one of the advisors barked. "When did they steal one of our Sutherlands?"

"It's probably taken during the Black Rebellion" Kanon answered back calmer than most of them. "During the liberation of Japan, many of our supplies and equipments were left behind after Tokyo was captured. Also… when General Calares made the attempt to recapture Area 11, the Honorary Britannian forces defected and so it's possible that these may be one of them. It's not surprising to see them use our own weapons against us"

"Indeed" the prince agreed. "It's common tactic"

"We should pursue them your highness!" another advisor beckoned but his idea was easily waved off.

"No. If we go any further than this, we may accidentally trigger a war with the Chinese Federation. Besides, they damaged our engines, did they not? We won't be able to pursue them even if we wanted to. Have the Knightmares return to their station and set course for Cambodia. We'll settle things with Zero and the Black Knights at a later time"

"Yes, your highness"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Zero saw the Avalon and their remaining forces retreating from the combat zone, he immediately let out a sigh. _"It's over. But this humiliation will not stand. I have dishonored Prince Lelouch and Princess Nunnally. I have yet much to learn from the master"_ he was interrupted from his thoughts when he noticed his personal cell phone was ringing. "Yes?"

"Look at you…" the voice of Jeremiah came taunting at him. "I leave your side just for one moment and you get yourself into trouble"

"Ehehehe…… thanks Jeremiah… I owe you one"

"Don't mistake this as a kind gesture" he corrected him. "I'm only doing this because you're too valuable for his majesty to lose. It will difficult to replace the Blue Baron at this time. I'm going back for Horai Island to greet his highness. Try not to get yourself killed before then"

"Yeah, I'll try" the boy in the mask flash out a feint smile. "It'll be awhile before we can contact each other again. I'll see you in the Chinese Federation"

"Good luck… and let the darkness consume you…"

"And you too… Jeremiah…" and with that he hung up and tossed the phone overboard by the window without a hint of hesitation. After Zero was sure that the Britannian forces have withdrawn he made a communication pact with Kallen. "Kallen, its Zero. Our task is done here. Return to Horai Island on the shuttle you're on and await further orders"

"But what about you sir?"

"I'm going to Burma to ensure their support. Once the two new weapons are safely intact I'll return to Horai Island"

Kallen was hesitant at first but couldn't bring herself to disagree with Zero. "Understood. We'll be returning to Horai Island. I'll be awaiting your return sir. Major Kouzuki, out"

"Of course…" Zero said playfully before finally removing his mask from his head. Luckily the section he was in was deserted except for the two Knightmares that was going to be in development soon. "But when I return… it won't be me behind the mask anymore…" he took one good look at the mask of Zero and skillfully spun it on his finger like a basketball. "The mask of Zero…… quite a frightening object indeed…"


	17. Unholy Reunion

**Chapter 17: The Unholy Reunion**

**(Britannia) (Ashford University) (OSI outpost) (The next day) (01:34 PM)**

Lelouch was sitting patiently at the meeting table in the OSI outpost under the library of Ashford University. He was with Rolo, Sayoko and Villetta, discussing their next move against Britannia's capital. With all the resources from Hollington combined with the OSI connections around the empire, he was practically close to starting his own rebellion here at the capital. He had a private army of secret agents in the city and more than enough small arms weapon to call out his own resistance.

"I see… so the equipments and supplies went through unnoticed?"

The Baroness nodded. "Yes, we were able to smuggle them through the Forlorn woods. There aren't many checkpoints there"

"Good. All preparations have now been completed" Lelouch smiled evidently showing his joy in his plan coming to fruition. "Now all that's left is to deal with Suzaku. After that nothing will get in my way"

"That won't be necessary" the woman replied holding out a sheet of paper. "We've just received word that he'll be sent to Prince Schneizel on a mission near the Chinese Federation borders after the welcome party"

"Is that so? Well then that clears up one task. All that's left is to ensure the defense bases around the capital have been dealt with" he then press a button on the computer console revealing a detailed map of the six defense base that acts as the first and strongest line of defense of Pendagron. "These bases provides an all round defense for Pendragon making it almost impenetrable from the outside. Each base has more than enough firepower and arms to rival an entire company"

"Not to mention the Palace Royal Guards" Rolo added. "If we make a move now we'll be trapped inside the city"

"Correct, which jeopardizes our plans on taking over Pendragon" Lelouch then took out his chess set and place the pieces accordingly. The Black King at the center of the map situated next to the White Pawn represented Lelouch and his army inside the capital city. The six White Rooks around it represented the six bases in which he needed to conquer. "I've already made copies of the schedule of supply runs and patrols on each of the base. Sayoko, you will go and sabotage each of the bases"

"All of them?" the kunoichi asked.

"Yes. So long as they're trapped within their bases they won't be able to provide support for Pendragon and the palace will only be protected by the few remnants of the royal guards. But you'll also have to remain in school as a stand in while I'm gone to the Chinese Federation so it'll be difficult. Consult with the OSI officers for further assistance if you need any"

"Understood, master Lelouch. I will comply with the best of my abilities"

"Good. Now that only leaves us with one more move……… the new minister of the national guards. Suzaku invited me the welcoming party this evening. Rolo, you and I will be attending it. I don't know what he's planning but this opportunity is too good to waste. I'll take some of the agents with me as reassurance. If Suzaku gets suspicious of them they can just say that they're observing me"

"Yes, of course big brother"

"Well then… that concludes today's meeting. You're all dismissed"

"Yes, my lord"

**(Hollington Airfield)**

General Julius Upson let out a groan as he saw a rather large aerial fleet being refitted and refueled in a civilian airport at the small land of Hollington that morning. He was assembling the soldiers and taking care of the army in Prince Schneizel absence. With the Black Knights now gathering support against Britannia, he quickly volunteered to be the one to exterminate the new nation right before it can be reformed.

"The preparation of the fleet is at 60 percent, my lord" one of the airport female staff officers reported to him. "Circuit wires, energy fillers, food and medical supplies have all been restocked as well. All in all, it should take about an hour to complete"

"Good, good" the man replied as pompous as any Britannian noble. "Has there been any word from Prince Schneizel yet?"

"No my lord. We haven't had any transmission since your arrival"

"General Upson, sir" he turned to the guard who saluted at him. "Lord Guilford and the Glaston Knights are here to see you" Upson looked at the men behind him. The man who was once known as Cornelia's Knight wearing his customary uniform stood at attention as if still in a military parade.

"Guilford?" the general motioned to him. "What are you doing here?"

"General" the spectacled man lowered his head lightly at the commander. "It's good to see you. I was assigned here by Prince Schneizel to assist you in your coming campaign against the Black Knights"

"His highness?" the general inquired as he turned his gaze to his staff officers who shrugged at the information. "I didn't hear any transfer to my command"

"It was just recently, sir" Guilford explained. "I was given the task after my station in Pendragon defense base"

"Well that's convenient" Upson replied rather bitterly at the former knight of honor, his head returning to its original position overlooking the fleet. "But as reputation proceeds you, sir Guilford, I will have to deny your assistance in this matter"

A questionable look peeled over Guilford's face as the general stated his intention. "May I ask why you think of that?"

"I have two hundred soldiers under my command lord Guilford and an entire fleet under my command. No matter what the Black Knights throw at us the result will be the same. They are a bunch of disorganized wretches who made a fluke at Area 11. I however, intend on finally bringing justice to this foolish resistance who has disgraced the royal family for too long"

"Don't underestimate the threat" the former knight warned. "He may be at a disadvantage but we're still dealing with Zero. You can be sure that he has some kind of plan underway"

"Such a cowardly response. And to think they called you the Spearhead of the Empire" the Glaston Knights gritted their teeth at the insult of the man but kept their cool for they knew that any counter response from them would only doom their commander even more. "Fortunately, I'm in command of this campaign and therefore I will have the word to say who goes and who doesn't go"

"But general… Zero is…"

"Dead, lord Guilford!" Julius Upson snapped at him now irritated by the presence of disgraced soldiers. "Zero was killed last year by our soldiers in Area 11. The Zero we face now is merely a copycat using his name" he then spat out at the floor turning back to the commander with a soured face. "Princess Cornelia would regret seeing your contemptible fear for this cheap imposter. Seeing how you quickly turned tails and ran when Zero made his reappearance during Lady Guinevere's mission"

Guilford flinched back at the bitter memory of his last fight. Though he hated to admit it, the general had good solid evidence there. The moment he saw Zero's image stream through his monitor, he cowered from the sight and thought of nothing but to withdraw from the battle as quick as possible.

But before they could argue any further, another voice entered the room, calling to their attention. "That's quite enough, both of you!" it commanded.

"And just who do you think you are!?"

"Ms…… Ms. Einstein" Guilford recognized her as the head researcher of Prince Schneizel.

"Duchess Nina Einstein?" one of the staff officers noted. The young scientist was accompanied by a rather large party if one would say the least. Three of them were in white and gray suits telling that they were her assistants, the four men guarding her flanks armed with pistols appeared to be her bodyguards and the young lady at the back carrying a phone and a notepad was obviously her secretary.

"You know her?" Upson inquired.

"Yes sir. She's the daughter of a highly decorated scientist and was taken in by Prince Schneizel after the Black Rebellion. She submitted many theses to the high academy which earned her great recognition amongst the noble families. After being recruited by Prince Schneizel 5 months ago she has been elevated to the rank of Duchess"

"Duchess!? Is she that important?"

"Yes sir. I also hear that she's serving as Sir Kururugi's guardian"

"Sorry for my late arrival" the green haired researcher lowered her head a bit. "Adjusting the Lancelot's flight system took longer than expected"

Guilford let out a small smile to her. "It's been quite awhile, Lady Einstein. I haven't seen you since your family's renewal ceremony"

"That's because I'm working under the direct command of Prince Schneizel now" she extended a handshake which the former knight gladly accepted.

"I see that you've changed a great deal since we last met. As for the item we've discussed earlier"

"Oh you mean the Knightmare frame Vincent? (Yes…) I'll have to admit that it wasn't really my original idea" the young duchess explained. "I found some of its schematics in Lord Asplund's database. I merely completed its finishing touches. I hope you found them suitable"

"They work just as fine thank you. It's actually good to see that we haven't lost all of our brilliant minds during the Black Rebellion"

"Yes. I'll have more of the Vincents ready by next week. I still need to confirm the budget with Prince Schneizel later on" she stopped in her conversation when her secretary interrupted and began whispering in her ear. "Oh…… yes of course. Well I must go now. I have a conference to meet up soon. We'll meet up again on board the Sleipnir when we depart"

**(Ashford Academy) (Swimming pool) (After school time)**

Lelouch typed down on his laptop that evening near the swimming pool of the school area which he owned. It was obvious that something was bothering him since he seemed to be more focused on the monitor rather than the beautiful girls jumping in and out of the water. The reason why Suzaku insisted his presence on tonight's party was suspicious but there was no way in hell he could turn it away. If he had the new Minister of the National Guards under his command, then Pendragon wouldn't stand a chance against his tactical genius.

He would have control over all military bases and installation in Pendragon and it would only take a few strings to unweave its defenses.

However his thoughts were roughly interrupted when he heard coach Villetta shouting at his students. "Alright Shirley, you're up next" the orangette aligned herself from the pedestal and took in a deep breath as she waited for her coach's signal. "Ok ready? The time to qualify for the swim team is 2 laps around the pool in four minutes thirty-seven seconds. And…… GO!"

Within a moment's whistle, Shirley jumped in gracefully from the pedestal and dove in head first. The rhythm of her arm stroke and legs were impressive. Almost inhumane if Lelouch would say so himself. And then suddenly, right out of amazement, the girl managed to reach the other side with relative ease.

Villetta raised a brow of amazement as she looked at her stopwatch. "Two minutes, twenty-two seconds?"

"Alright, Shirley!" the members of the female swim club rushed towards their champ, giggling and cheering with awe of the girl's surprising talent.

"That was amazing. You were so fast I almost thought you were a dolphin!"

"It was better than amazing! It was incredible!"

Shirley rubbed the back of her head shyly. "Oh it wasn't that good. I'm sure there are a lot of people who can do it faster than I can"

"That's not true" Villetta replied as she approach the girl with a half smile. "That was quite a swim you did there Ms. Fenette. You practically broke the school record by forty seconds. I think with you at our team, we'll win for sure"

"Thanks coach!" the young girl shouted with glee earning giggles from her club members.

"Alright that will be enough for today. Go back home and get some rest. Meet here again same time, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am"

"Oh… by the way Shirley" Villetta added before taking out a small plastic container full of strangely colored pills. "Your medication arrived earlier today. Here"

"Thanks Ms. Villetta" the girl accepted the container and moved on with her friends.

"_Hmm… this is strange…"_ Lelouch thought to himself as he checked several website on the net searching for any clues on who may be the next Minister of the National Guards_. "The Britannians seemed to have kept a tight security on this information. Even the rumors regarding the subject are vague at best. From what I've been able to gather, it seems that the one replace Margrave Owel is a member of the royal family. Tch. Could it be Schneizel? No… he's busy dealing with the Chinese Federation. Odysseus maybe? Well… whoever it is, the officials kept a tight lid on it. I'll have no other choice but to find out at the welcoming party"_

"Uh hey, Lulu" the dark prince was taken from his thoughts when Shirley approached him, a strange blush forming around her cheeks. "A… are you free later on tonight? Y… you see my friends and I are going to the zoo and I was wondering…"

"Sorry, can't…" Lelouch interrupted, putting up his noble act. "There's a welcoming party at the royal palace and it seems like I have to attend it"

"A welcoming party?"

"Yeah, it's for the new minister of Pendragon. I don't really wanna go but Suzaku insisted that I start acting like a nobleman and mingle with the other noble families"

"Uh…… oh… I see…" the girl replied dejectedly. "I guess it can't be helped huh?"

"I won't be staying long though" Lelouch added sending out a small smile earning a redder blush from his friend. "I'll probably just meet with the minster and head back to the dorm house. By the way… I saw how you swam. That's pretty impressive to beat the time so easily"

"Huh? Oh that!? It was nothing. I just trained hard for the gymnastics club!" she flexed out her arms, trying to lighten the mood up. "And not to mention these medications that my doctor sends me. They helped a lot"

"Medication?"

"Yeah, I had a doctor's check a few months back so I've been taking these pills on a weekly basis. She says that I'm not getting enough iron thanks to my extreme diet" she held her head embarrassingly as she admitted.

"Well I'm sure you'll get better soon" Lelouch replied politely before noticing one of his maids in the school ground approached him from behind. "What is it?"

"Sorry to disturb you, master Lelouch" the young lady bowed in respect of his status. "But it's nearly time for your departure. Your limo is waiting for you outside. Master Rolo has your suit ready as well"

"Alright, thank you. Tell my chauffer I'll be there shortly…… and have Sara (AKA: Sayoko) accompany me as well"

"Yes, my lord. As you command"

**(Chinese Federation) (Luoyang, capital city) (Dragon Cavalry Headquarters)**

Li Xingke…

The man who was known as the Young Dragon of the Federation was standing in the briefing room surrounded by his most trusted officers. They were discussing the arrival of the Black Knights and quickly trying to discover if their leader, Zero was either a friend or foe.

Xingke himself played a small but crucial role in their transfer to Horai Island, greeting the infamous masked man himself during the official greetings. At first, Xingke thought that he could understand the man if he met him face to face but strangely enough, the mask that he wore disguised all sorts of feeling. It was like shaking hands with a ghost that did not even exist.

"Master Xingke" Zhou Xianglin, the female military aide of the Dragon Cavalry spoke up to get his attention. "All reports for today's campaign have been signed in. Shall I dismiss the others and return them to base?"

"Yes, please do" he nodded before turning towards the table screen where the schematics of Horai Island came into view. "What's the status of the Black Knights at the moment?"

"They seemed to have settled in" she answered. "Zero and his men have already reactivated 30 percent of the island's facilities and are continuing repairs as we speak. Though they consist mostly of previous resistance fighters, they're working a lot faster than we anticipated. Their military strength almost rivals the border guard forces"

"It seems like Zero anticipated the Britannian's move"

"What do you mean?" Hong Gu, a rather round man who serves as Xingke's commander on the field questioned.

"Prince Schneizel, the second prince of Britannia just arrived today at Luoyang discussing a treaty with the High Eunuchs" Xingke shifted the map steadily to another part of Horai as he explained the political situation to his men. "Seems like there is to be an official campaign against the Black Knights"

A round of gasps echoed the room as the news hit them. The soldiers here knew about the Black Knight's reputation of being the first force ever to score a total victory against Britannia. But now the High Eunuchs were planning to sell them out to their enemy right after entering a treaty with them.

"They're planning an attack?" Xianglin inquired, shock on what was to happen on the outcome of the battle. "Here? On Chinese Federation soil?"

"They haven't announced it yet but the battle will be kept on watch" the commander of the Dragon Cavalry explained. "Xianglin and I will go out and make sure that the battle doesn't damage any of the people"

"Does this mean we'll postpone our plan?" another of the officer asked.

"We've already gathered enough followers, master Xingke. But we'll stand by your orders"

"Thank you, I appreciate that" Xingke smiled at them. "Thanks to the Black Knights we've been given more time to prepare our operation. Our objective is to stage a coup and rebellion to overthrow the High Eunuchs. Once we've secured the empress, we'll escape through a gap in the ECM radar system"

"The High Eunuchs won't let us go that quickly though" Hong Gu pointed out. "They'll probably send out the Forbidden City Royal Guards to chase us around the Sheng Shu Ravine"

"That's where we'll ambush them with the 3rd company. Once we've eliminated all of our pursuers we'll join up with our main force at Xiao Pei and launch a direct attack at the Imperial City main defense base in the ruins of Hu Lao Gate east of Luoyang"

"That's where the capital city's defense force will be stationed" Xianglin added. "We'll be outnumbered and outgunned but we will have the advantage of a surprise attack. Once the threat there has been eliminated, the High Eunuchs will have no other choice but to surrender to our terms. But of course we also have to consider the possibility of enemy reinforcements"

"They'll be too busy dealing with the riots that we plan to instigate all over" the Young Dragon of the Federation explained as he already thought of all possible events that may occur during the mission. "If this operation goes smoothly, we can expect almost no resistance from all the other warlords. This strategy will suffice. The rest of you may act as you have been and continue with your duties. I will tell Xianglin when to commence the operation. Dismiss"

"We hear and obey!"

**(Horai Island) (Residential block) (High command private room)**

"Haaaaaa…!" Sugiyama lay back on his seat as the breakfast time bell rung in. Much work had been done to Horai Island but there was plenty more to do for everyone. It wasn't because they were inefficient or anything but it was because they just didn't have the manpower to fill all the gaps in the area. There were only a few thousand people living on this manmade city but it would probably take at least a million or more to fill all the housing areas.

Dinner was handed out to the soldiers via the cafeteria place. Though the meals were simple, the Black Knights didn't reject it. In fact, their meals tasted a lot better after a hard day's work.

"Rough day?" Yoshida humored as he entered the room with a food tray in hand.

"Yeah. My back is aching. I wish we had more people to handle this area"

"Well what can we do? We're already stretched thin as it is. Want some?" he offered his food which his friend politely denied.

"Has there been any word from Zero yet?" Sugiyama asked.

"Not since Kallen arrived. She said that he went to the Chinese Federation"

"Probably negotiating a treaty with them huh?"

"I don't really know. But I hope he brings up some of those meat buns when he comes back"

They both laughed, lightening the weight of work around them. But before they could continue, Minami and Inoue suddenly entered the room with a paled expression on his face. "Hey guys! Have you heard the news?"

"What? What news?"

Minami brokered in and quickly switch on the television and flip to a Britannian news channel. On the main headline, it announces that Area 28 has been formed by the military force of the empire.

"Another country fell!?"

"Yeah…" Inoue answered with a disgusted face. "It seems like the last resistance in Germany had been quelled. Only a pocket of fighters and Knightmares are holding up in Berlin, but they're not issuing any kind of surrender"

As the screen on the television shifted, they showed the area where a small group of German soldiers and tanks were staging a last stand near the capital building. There were several Knightmares as well but they proved to be too little against the vast legion of the Britannian army.

"It seems like the Germans aren't going to surrender" Minami pointed out as he saw none of them, not even a single soldier trying to wave the white flag. "They're gonna fight till the last man"

"That's stupid…" Sugiyama stated in disbelief. "They know they stand no chance so why are they…"

"It's because they're afraid…" Tohdoh's voice suddenly blurted in as the man himself appeared at the doorway with Urabe behind him. "They're fighting till the last man standing because they fear what the Britannians will do to them if they surrendered. Everyone knows of this because they saw what happened…… what happened at the Special Administrative Zone a year ago"

"The SAZ" the officers shivered in spite of that memory. They remembered well how the Britannian princess lured their fellow Japanese into the zone and then ruthlessly murdered them at gun point. All of that bloodshed just to lure the Black Knights out of hiding.

"That's why they're fighting till the last man standing. Because they know… if they're conquered, they'll suffer the same fate as we did during the Black Rebellion"

**(Pendragon Imperial Palace)**

Lelouch and Rolo rode on their private limo that evening to the palace reception hall where a grand welcoming party was being held for the new minister of Pendragon. As expected, a large number of noble lords and ladies had attended it. The Dark Lord recognized many of them from his gambling rings in the past and many of them still owe the boy a great deal of money.

But while Lelouch was busy remembering all the faces of the nobles, Rolo was fidgeting his fingers together since he never actually attended such a party. He was noble on in name but he was never trained in any sort of etiquette to display on such an event.

"Looks like we're up next" Lelouch stated as he adjusted his collar piece. He never liked wearing his noble suit but he made an exception for this case. "Sayoko, remain near the vehicle at all times. If there's any kind of trouble expect me and Rolo to come by quickly"

The maid on the opposite side of the vehicle nodded. "Yes, of course master Lelouch"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Lelouch entered the reception hall, he was immediately greeted by the servants that guided him around the reception hall. The nobles that have gathered here were all from highly distinguished families. Heavy perfume lingered in the air mixed with a hint of alcohol and contaminated wine.

"Nobles…… their stench truly is sickening"

But while the dark master slowly made his way towards the buffet table, Rolo couldn't help but gawk at the splendor of the palace. The reception hall was large, that much was true. It was so large and so wide that even the Ashford University auditorium could fit in this place easily. Not only that, but the place alone had the stature of expensive items. The chandelier lights that hung on the ceiling were made out of pure crystals, the glasses that served the wine were also made of the same material. Hell, a single one of those can already feed a man for a year or two.

But later his awed attention was disturbed when his ears perked to some noble daughters whispering near him.

"Hey, did you see that man?"

"Who was he? He looks too dashing to be a servant. Is he a noble?"

"I know him. He's Lelouch Lamperouge, the owner of the Hollington county. I heard he bought that land for quite a hefty price"

"I heard that they call him the Black Prince, and now I can see why. Meow…… he's my type of guy…"

The boy shook his head and ignored their comments as he knew that his brother would have no interest in such luxury such as them. Lelouch was more focused on his goals rather than his relationships with others. He only talks when needed and only makes connections to those who he needed to use.

"Big brother, are you sure about this?"

"Yes…" the exiled prince nodded before picking out some vegetables from the plate. "Though I have a good feeling that this is a trap, I let this opportunity slip by. According to the OSI reported: Three Knights of the Round will be welcoming the new minister. Suzaku is one of them so two others will be here. They should easily be distinguished from the other guests. Sayoko will be standing by outside waiting for us"

"But……… what if you get discovered? What they realize that you…" Rolo stopped when he felt his brother's finger on his lips.

"You shouldn't speak of that information. There's no telling who is listening. Besides…… if we do get discovered, I always have you to watch my back. That's why you're here………… I can trust you, can't I?"

"Uh… oh course big brother"

"Good. Now stop acting so stiff and enjoy it while you can. The food is good and the music is simple"

The two of them enjoyed the rest of the early evening. With Lelouch making several connections with several powerful noblemen, he was able to gather some information and local trade routes which he could use to his advantages.

Rolo on the other hand simply kept quiet and sat on an empty bench not far from his brother, making sure no one would try to stab his back or anything. There were a few OSI officers stationed outside the palace as well, just to make sure that when things go bad, there'd be at least a small backup unit to get them out of there.

"…… yes of course, indeed. You're quite right… and…" Lelouch stopped in the midst of his conversation with a marquis when he felt the phone in his left breast pocket ringing. "Forgive me, I really need to get this" he excused himself away before answering. "What is it?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"My lord. The carriage carrying the new minister has arrived at the parking lot" Sayoko spoke up as she looked over the limo with the chauffer looking over with a pair of binoculars.

"Can you see any member of the royal family?"

"No my lord. But if I go any closer I might give away my cover" she took out a mini scope from her pocket and hastily put on a blonde wig which covered her identity. "They should be entering the reception hall in about three minutes"

"Good. Then I'll get into position. Is Suzaku with them?"

"Yes. He appears to be with two other Knights of the Rounds. I can't see their faces from here. Wait… he appears to be taking a different route from the others"

"As I expected, he plans to use the new minister as bait to make me use my Geass"

"Understood, we'll wait outside until you give the word"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Alright then. I'll get to position. Standby for further orders" Lelouch then slowly made his way towards the area near seat the guest of honor would be sitting during the duration of the party. The area was packed with noblemen but it was also a good position to place his Geass on the new minister when he walks through the isle.

As the gate to the hall opened, the crowd quickly gathered around giving Lelouch the cover he needed when he makes his escape.

As the guards slowly fill the room corners and the Knights of the Round taking their place beside the doorway the room silenced.

"Ladies and gentlemen…" the announcer began. "Allow me to introduce to you, his royal highness, the first Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, Prince Odysseus eu Britannia!"

The said prince appeared on the isle first, his head held high showing his stature. But while the crowd applauded to his welcoming, Lelouch could only smirk at this. "Just as I thought. Odysseus himself. He was never one to make a bold move so putting him near the capital was necessary. This will be a lot easier than I thought it would be" he then turned his eyes towards the balcony up top where he caught sight of Suzaku eyeing him with suspicion. "You failed in your attempt Suzaku. You don't have a clue that the OSI is in my pocket so they'll obviously clear my name any day. Placing my Geass on the new minister should be a breeze"

But just when he was about to remove his lens and activate his power, the announcer spoke again. "And now introducing the new minister of the Pendragon National Guard, (Huh?) The 18th princess of Britannia and 87th in line to the imperial throne…… her highness Princess Nunnally vi Britannia!"

"_What!?"_ Lelouch's eyes widened as his face whipped around turning towards the door.

And there, right in the middle of the isle, escorted by Prince Odysseus and two Knights of the Round, sitting in a royal wheelchair dressed in a formal gown……

The dark lord's heart wavered at that crucial moment. His impenetrable mask broken and cracked, his eyes watered and his teeth gritted, forcing each other like they wanted to grind each other to dust.

His own sister. The very reason of existence and the will to fight his enemies was now right in front of him, eyes closed to the world but yet opened to things that did not exist. How was he to react to this kind of situation? How was the dark master who wielded the fate of the world in his hand supposed to move while his own flesh and blood moved up the isle? He did not know.

But this event only caused his mask to crack. The very mask that held his act together was slowly cracking like an arrow piercing through its vulnerable structure. He fought the urge in his stomach to lounge straight to the little princess and hugged her tightly but he reminded himself that he was still being watched. Rolo even signaled him that Suzaku was watching from the balcony above the crowd with three guards on his side.

About half way to the throne at the very end of the room, Nunnally spoke up to her half brother. "It's alright Odysseus. You don't have to push me all the way through. I can get there myself"

"Nonsense" the first prince of Britannia smiled back and waving her off. "You're the guest of honor Nunnally. It's only my privilege to be able to help you. Besides, you must've had quite a difficult time during your stay in Japan. This is the very least I could do"

"But still…… I don't want to be a bother"

"Don't be ridiculous. You should be more focused on the task at hand rather than worrying about me. Smile and greet the people around you. This is your big debut after all, is it not?"

"I…… yes… of course, brother Odysseus"

Odysseus turned to her with a look of sadness as he kept his voice low. "Don't worry Nunnally. We'll find your brother soon enough. I'm pretty sure he's somewhere out there… alive… I promise you that"

"Thank you. Hearing you say that means a lot to me"

Soon after they arrived on stage, the announcer formally introduced Nunnally to the audience which they in return gave out a round of applause. Afterwards, the party continued and the music slowly began to pick up again.

But while others find themselves a joyous moment to behold, Lelouch could only sit back on his chair and cursed inwardly to himself. Suzaku's plan to break his act was extremely effective however, he did not take into account that the OSI was under his payroll.

"No, I can't do it" he thought to himself. "Not in front of Nunnally. If I approach her, my mask will be destroyed. I can't lie… not to her… especially not to my own sister" he looked up towards the balcony and saw Suzaku staring down back at him. "Damn you Suzaku. Have you stooped this low? You would dare use my very own sister as bait to lure me out!?"

"Big brother" Rolo called him, breaking the boy out of his anger trance. "Should we go?"

The dark master held his breath for a moment and turned his voice down so that he wouldn't attract attention from the other guests. "No…" he answered finally after a brief pause. "Leaving now after the minister arrived would look suspicious. We'll have to wait until Suzaku is convinced my memories have not yet returned. Therefore……"

"Therefore what?"

"Right now we've passed the first clearance. At some point he will have me confront Nunnally in person and hope that my act will break then"

"So…… what should we do?"

"All we can do now is play along" Lelouch gritted his teeth in anger of his once best friend. "That is why I must prepare myself. Rolo… I need you to accompany me when we go. Only then can my act play out"

"Yes, of course big brother"

**(Ashford University)**

Milly let out a sigh as she sat at the sofa of the student council room watching TV while eating a box of chips. There was no school tomorrow so she had the whole night free to herself. Usually at a time like this she would be off to the city, partying with friends. But unfortunately, Shirley had to go off with her swim club to the nearby restaurant from a pre celebration of the upcoming swimming tournament. Rivalz also went with his friends to the arcade and only god knows when they'll be back. Lelouch on the other hand went to the imperial palace for the welcome party of the new Minister of the National Guards.

So all in short, she was all alone in the student council building.

But when times when she was alone like this she would often treat herself to a movie in the theaters or a small parlor shop downtown. But sadly she was no longer a noble and therefore she didn't have a chauffer to drive her wherever she wanted to. By the time when Lelouch took her noble status and her father's power, she had to rely on her grandfather to drive her to school or a taxi on several occasions.

"Haaaa……" she yawned out loud as she flipped through the channels. "There's nothing good on nowadays. Everything is all about Zero, the Chinese Federation and blah blah blah. Don't they have any regular shows nowadays?" she whipped her head back when she heard the door opening.

"Oh… milady?" one of the maids under Lelouch's employ who worked here startled. "I'm sorry, I thought that this room was empty. I came to clean up"

"Is it that time already?" the young Ashford sighed as she checked the clock. "Boy. Time does fly when nothing is on TV. Just let me get my things and I'll be done"

"Yes milady" the maid began dusting the table and keeping the papers that seemed important in one area so that they wouldn't fly away. But just as she was sweeping up she noticed a photo suddenly slipping from one of Milly's notebooks. "Oh, milady you dropped… this?" as she looked closer at the photo she realized that it was a photo of Lelouch when he was still a kid. But the strangest part was that a little Milly was sitting right next to him licking off ice cream from his cheek.

"Oh!" the young blonde panicked as she snatched the picture away. "That's private!"

"I'm sorry milady" the maid smiled childishly at her. "I didn't know you and the young master were old friends"

"Ahehe… we were old friends actually. A long time ago too" she replied a bit embarrassed about the photo being discovered. "Back when we were little we went to an ice cream parlor in downtown"

"I see. It must be nice to be young during that time huh"

"Yeah… I once visited his house too. It was big and grand and……" but right in the middle of her sentence, Milly noticed something missing from her memories. She could remember being childhood friends with Lelouch but something seemed to be missing. Like a big gap in her brain missing very important parts of the video clip.

"Milady?"

"Huh? Oh sorry!" she stumbled. "I lost my thoughts back there. Well I'm off now. See ya later"

"Of course. Take care milady"

Milly closed the door behind her and sighed again before she looked at the photo in her hand. She remembered well how she and Lelouch went to the parlor for ice cream, but she couldn't remember anything before or after that fateful event. She tried to dig deep in her memories but there seemed to be something…… something strange keeping her from remembering those moments.

**(Pendragon Imperial Palace)**

Lelouch did his best to contain himself as he sat through the whole party unannounced. He eyed the room from corner to corner listening to every conversation going on and finding out if there were any links that he could use to his advantage. It also kept his mind away from Nunnally who was sitting next to the first prince Odysseus sipping wine poured by the waiter nearby.

"It's time…" he said suddenly which Rolo questioned when he stood up. "Come Rolo, let's go. I had enough of this…"

"Lelouch!" Suzaku's voice perked up which seemed to follow the script that the boy planned out. "Are you going already?"

The boy flashed out a smile as he replied. "Yeah. I already had my fill of nobles. Besides it's already late and I have to get up early tomorrow to manage the evening event. Apparently your arrival there got Milly the excuse to set up the school festival a month early"

"Yeah. She told me about that" Suzaku's face was easily read by Lelouch. His smiles were genuine but his eyes and other expression were all masked. He had to admit then that Suzaku would've made a terrible spy. "Anyway, you can't leave without meeting minister. Come on, I'll introduce you"

"_Just as I predicted"_ Lelouch thought to himself as he knew that Suzaku would be forceful in these measures. "No thanks. You know that I don't acquaint myself in such trivial matters. And besides, I'm a baron. I'm not qualified to meet with the high member of the royal family"

"Nonsense. Come on I'll even introduce you"

The boy sighed at this. "Alright. I guess there's no point arguing with you"

It wasn't long then until Gino Weinburg saw them approaching. "Hey, Suzaku!" he stated in a singsong voice. "Where ya been? We've been looking all over for you. We thought you might've had a bad stomach and went to the bathroom"

"No I just went to mingle with the crowd" he admitted slightly. "But anyway, where's Anya?"

"Oh she went out somewhere. That girl can be hard to find around these parts. Even if she is just a kid I wish she'd start acting like one of the Knights of the Round" but then he stopped when he heard Nunnally's voice cut in.

"Suzaku? Is that you?"

The boy lowered down his head as he greeted the young princess. "Yes, it's me. Sorry to leave you so suddenly"

"Oh. Good to see you, Sir Kururugi" Prince Odysseus raised his glass of wine to greet the man. "I hope you are enjoying the festivities. I heard from Lord Cornwell that you'll be departing for the Chinese Federation tomorrow"

"Yes, I know it's sudden, but it has to done" Suzaku bowed back at the man.

"How are you Suzaku?" Nunnally asked. "I haven't seen you for awhile so thought that we might have a chance to catch up on old times"

"Yeah, sorry to worry you Nunnally. But anyway, I brought an old friend of mine. (Huh?)" Lelouch spat inwardly as he heard the word 'friend'. As if he could be friends to a man who would dare use his own sister as bait.

"Nunnally…" the boy gasped inwardly to himself. "We're together again… just like I promised. But…… I only wish I could…" the dark master stayed his hands because he was too busy holding onto the 'mask' that he repaired on his face. "Your highnesses. Allow me to introduce myself…"

"That voice…" Nunnally's ears perked up. "Could it…?"

"I am Lelouch Alamar Lamperouge, Baron of Hollington" Lelouch kneeled on the floor along with Rolo who stood with a knife at the ready in his pocket. "And this is my little brother, Rolo. We thank you for gracing us with your attention"

"Lelouch?" Odysseus quirked his eye brow as he heard of that name once before. "You were probably named after our brother. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot of good things happening to Hollington for the past months. Your expansion on the activities and resources there has been catching our attention for rather some time now"

"Thank you for your kind words your highness" Lelouch bowed again a bit deeper this time. "But it was nothing at all"

"Nonsense. Right after you rolled into the field, the economy around those lands has gone up significantly" the first prince of Britannia praised. "Such a feat shouldn't be ignored, right Nunnally?" he paused slightly when he noticed the girl's strangely strained expression. "Nunnally? Please say something dear, this is Sir Kururugi's good friend"

But the young princess was mixed. Her emotions ran rampant as she listened to the boy's words. His tender smile was visible even though she was blind. The voice that he used to soothed her when she went to bed echoed in her ear. It was all there. Even the boy's name was similar.

"Lelouch…" she spoke at last, her voice trembling as her eyes welled up in tears. "Is it… is it you?"

"Huh?" Gino questioned. "Your highness… are you alright?"

"Lelouch, please tell me. Is that you?"

"_Nunnally…"_ Lelouch's mask began to crack as he his own sister cry in their supposed-reunion. "Your highness, I… I'm afraid you have me mixed up with another"

But the girl seemed unconvinced and with good reasons too. "Can… can you please come closer?" Lelouch was hesitant at first but followed nonetheless to her request. He approached Nunnally's wheelchair and lowered his head to her level. And in a move that would surprise even Gino himself, the young princess extended her arms to touch the boy's face.

"Princess Nunnally!" the blonde Knight of the Round stepped forward. "You really shouldn't…"

But Nunnally could only well up more as she caressed her hand across Lelouch's face. His strong sharp nose, his soft puck lips, his gem sight eyes. They were all intact just like she remembered it.

"Lelouch… it is you…!" she raised her voice just slightly above normal which seemed to have caught the attention of some of the nobles. "It is you… it has to be…"

"Nunnally…" Odysseus seemed also surprised but kept his distance from the reunited siblings.

Nunnally continued to feel Lelouch's face for a few moments then until she reached down for his hand and brought it onto her cheeks.

A round of gasps followed afterwards by the noble houses. For a baron of his noble status to actually be touching a member of the royal family would almost be considered a crime. "You feel just like him too…"

"_Nunnally…… please… forgive me…"_ Lelouch himself could not bear it, but he enjoyed the few moments that he spent with her. Even though they acted like strangers… it was more than what he needed to make it through the day.

**(Time skip 1 hour later)**

After that eventful party, Lelouch said his farewells to the royal family and bid Suzaku good evening for the night. Once he rolled up the windows and the chauffer driving them back to school, the boy took off his suit and grabbed a drink from the mini-refrigerator. A little alcohol to numb the pain was always welcome.

"Big brother?" Rolo spoke up a bit insecure with Lelouch's face at the moment.

"Rolo…… Sayoko…" the dark lord spoke up suddenly which caught their attention. "I'm leaving both of you here to continue with the work load and form my alibi in school. I'm leaving for Horai Island tonight"

"Yes master Lelouch" Sayoko nodded. "But does that mean we'll…"

"Yes… I'm accelerating the plans. It's time I showed Britannia… that they shouldn't make enemies with a god…"

**(Horai Island) (The Spire)**

Jeremiah and C2 waited patiently in the spire that morning (Time Zone is different: Evening in Britannia, morning in China) surprisingly, they were playing a game of chess while Diethard and Tohdoh continued on with their work in repairing the communication tower. As the place began to shape up nicely, Jeremiah himself couldn't help but be impressed by their vigil. Even without Zero, they were able to hold out on their own.

"Sir…" one of the staff officers called out to Diethard. "We've set up the transmission array around the island. All areas have signal and we should be in optimal efficiency in about six hours"

"Good" the media man nodded. "What of the residential and agriculture block?"

"They have the bio-domes under working conditions. Food won't be a problem there but the residential area is having a few set backs due to the lack of manpower"

"Transfer some men from the industrial block. We have to get that section built up before things go haywire"

"Yes sir…"

"What's the status of our military force?" Tohdoh asked.

Diethard flipped through the paper for a moment before answering. "We've refitted two of our ships with weapons. The Ikaruga is moored at the docks at the moment. We have a total of fifty combat ready Knightmares including the ones sent from India. The new Akatsuki models have also arrived. They're Rakshata's work so it should be more than capable for our pilots to handle"

"Good. At least we have something in case of a surprise attack"

"Lt. Colonel!" a soldier barked out as he pointed towards the large screen. "Emergency alert from home base!"

"What's the problem?" the samurai questioned. "Put the situation on the screen, now!" and right when the order was given, the whole crowd gasped at the sight of the channel that flipped on screen. "What in the…?"

It was a world wide broadcast of a Britannian invasion… to Horai Island…


	18. First Blood at the Pacific

**Chapter 18: First Blood at the Pacific Ocean**

**(Horai Island) (Spire)**

Tohdoh and Diethard watched with disgust on their faces as the news anchorwoman went on with the report. "We are here now live on Hollington Airport where the Britannian armada commanded by General Julius Upson will soon be departing for the Chinese Federation border to issue a full scale campaign against the local mercenary group. The declaration permit was approved by the Chinese government earlier today with a treaty signed by the High Eunuchs. Due to the status of the radical group now exiled from the country of Japan, the Chinese Federation now declares officially that they are not part of the Chinese military force and will allow a campaign to be done on soil under watch. Therefore, this gives the Britannian army a 'just' cause to launch a war against the remnants of the infamous organization known as, the Black Knights"

"A 'just' cause to launch a war…" Tohdoh gritted his teeth. "How I wish I could've said the same thing…"

"Sir!" another officer barked out pulling his earphones away. "We've just gotten confirmation from the embassy. The Chinese government issued the permission a few hours ago"

"And they did so without even informing us" Diethard muttered silently to himself. "To think that they would betray us this quickly"

It wasn't long then that Jeremiah spoke up. "The High Eunuchs only take sides with the obvious winners. As long as they retain power they won't care what happens to us. This also explains why they're showing this footage world wide. They want us to know they're coming……"

"Damn it!" Diethard slammed his fist to the table he was on. He thought that Zero fleeing to the borders of the Chinese Federation would protect them until they were strong enough but he underestimated the guise of their power. "I never thought of this scheme. Even after going through all that trouble of getting our very own base of operation they still come after us. There's only one person in the world who could've made such a treaty"

"Yes…" Orange Boy nodded in agreement holding his cybernetic hand to his chin. "The only one who has the charisma and influence to do such a thing……Prince Schneizel"

"The second prince of Britannia" C2 added as she placed another pizza on her mouth.

But then suddenly, one of the com officers noticed someone was trying to patch a secure communication channel through them. "C… c… commander!" he yelled out. "We've got contact from Zero!"

"Patch it through" Tohdoh stated before turning his head back to the masked man who appeared on screen. "Zero…"

"Tohdoh…" the masked hero of the free world muttered back. "I have no doubt that you've already heard the news"

"Yes, the Britannian army is finally moving against us. According to the reports, they're assembling a vast fleet against us"

"It's a propaganda tactic. They're trying to scare us and making them think that they're invincible. I've seen plenty of it already"

"We've already begun preparing defenses around the island. The new Knightmares that arrived from India are now being refitted. I have plans to create a defensive perimeter around the districts as we hold off the siege"

"That's exactly what Schneizel wants us to do" Zero pointed out. "This siege is nothing more but a diversion. He's planning something and apparently he doesn't want anyone finding out. I'll be arriving in Horai Island by tonight. We can discuss our tactical plan afterwards"

**(Slepnir) (Camelot Research team private carrier)**

Nina Einstein stood proudly near the helm of her personal ship Slepnir that morning overlooking some details on the ship's functions. Ever since her family had been elevated to the social status of nobles, she was pampered greatly by the second prince of Britannia and was given almost everything when asked. The ship that she was commanding was designed by her and provided ample supply of technology to make it one of the most state of the art, up to date ship in Britannia.

The Slepnir…

A silver ship just about as big as the Avalon served as the Duchess's personal transport and a mobile research base for her team. It also served as the Lancelot's stable and various Vincents which were piloted by her personal guards.

"Lady Einstein, we're ready to depart" the helmsman reported.

"Alright" the Duchess nodded, hey eyes glued to the notepad for a moment before passing it to her secretary. "Has General Upson's fleet deployed yet?"

"Yes ma'am. The first ship departed about ten minutes ago. The main carrier will be following later, afterwards the rear guard"

"Right. And what of Lord Guilford? Has he reported in yet?"

"Yes, he's currently in the hanger lobby with the Glaston Knights"

Nina nodded again before turning her head towards the screen. "Right. We'll follow the fleet after the rear guard has departed. Have our clearance checked with the Hollington airport"

Her attention spun later to the door to the bridge whistled in revealing the form of Suzaku, the Knight of Seven. "Major Suzaku Kururugi, reporting in for duty" he spoke in a very militaristic manner which was usual for a man who always followed the rules and regulation.

"Oh… Suzaku, welcome back" Nina greeted him. "How was your stay in Pendragon?"

"Relaxing" he lied obviously. "But it was kind of busy with the new minister and all. By the way, Nunnally sends her regards. She was hoping to see you back at the party"

"Sorry about that. I'm actually quite busy. Calibrating the Lancelot took a lot longer than I expected. Earl Asplund's life work is very sophisticated. It took me more than a week to actually understand half of its proper details"

"Well if there's anything that he came up if, I have no doubt that you'll be able make it better. I'm sure that he wouldn't let anyone else touch it"

"Duchess" the com officer interrupted. "We're receiving a transmission from the Avalon"

Nina quickly got back to her formal tone and collected herself before replying. "Patch it through my personal screen" she then retook her seat near the helm and saw the face of Prince Schneizel appear on her monitor. "Hello again your highness. I hope you are fairing well in the Chinese Federation"

"Good to see you too Nina" the blonde prince replied showing off his charismatic smile. "Sorry to cut our formalities short, but I have some meetings to attend with the Todomo Agency representatives in a few hours. No doubt that you've heard of the invasion announcement"

"Yes. The campaign against the Black Knights. It was broadcast through the network"

"Indeed… I have given permission for General Upson to take command of the task there and I want the Slepnir to provide him with logistical support"

"Support?" Nina raised a brow in question as she never had much combat experience herself. "My lord, if I may ask. Is that wise? I have to remind you that the Slepnir isn't a combat ship. We're not exactly armed with any sophisticated weapons"

"Which is why I've assigned Suzaku and Lord Guilford to you" he explained. "I know that this is an unusual method but these are unusual times now. The Slepnir will not engage in combat directly but will provide Knightmare support to the units below"

"I… I guess that is understandable" the young genius accepted her task. "It's also a good opportunity to gather battle data as well"

"Good. I await favorable news from you as well. Please send my regards to Lord Guilford" he then waved off before the transmission was cut.

With her new assignment given, Nina took a deep breath before turning to Suzaku. "Well. We might as well get ready. Come Suzaku, there's something I want to show you"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Suzaku's eyes widened when the saw the lights flashed over the White Knightmare at the center of the hanger bay. Now apparent in thick titanium armor was his Lancelot, fully modified to the extent of its weapons. The most significant change that Suzaku could see was the head. Instead of the usual hawk like look, the face was now covered with a second armor that looked a lot like those great-helms used by knights in the medieval ages.

"Is that… the Lancelot?"

Nina was satisfied with the expression on the boy's face as she pulled out the schematics from her jacket. "Yes. This… is the Lancelot-'Paladin' made in a joint effort from various companies around Britannia. I modified its armor to become thicker by a few inches and installed a personal FLOAT unit to the rear extension. The Blaze Luminous shield offers you protection from ballistic attacks but the armor itself grants greater mobility"

"Incredible…"

"I've also refitted the VARIS with anti-armor shells which can do extra damage to thickly armored units. The Gawain's Druid system was also installed to provide you with 0.5 seconds pre-warnings of any incoming objects"

"That's amazing… you did this all by yourself?"

"I followed the design plan from Earl Asplund's work" she admitted shyly. "Apparently he was designing a system called the Lancelot Conquista but the designs were never completed. Apparently he wanted to attach some new weapons on the body itself" she then turned her eyes to the other Knightmares which were situated next to the Lancelot. "These other units here were a mass production type based on the designs of the old Lancelot. Their performance can rival it but they're significantly a lot faster to build and the products are a lot cheaper compared to the amount of credits used to upgrade the original unit"

"Have they been tested?"

"Yes" she nodded confidently since she was able to gather battle data when Guilford piloted this unit against one of the Knights of the Round. "They've been field tested. But in order to fill in all the gaps, they have to be used in real live combat. I just hope that the budget is worth it"

Suzaku was amazed by this. The Nina she knew back in Ashford Academy was always closed up to herself and never really talked much other than the student council. But now… she was all grown up and spoke so confidently like she had always been like that.

After he touched the plating on the Lancelot unit, he could see his own reflection mirroring back at him. Nina went to a great deal to make sure that this unit received the best treatment. It's wiring were so well put together that it made the symphony orchestra look like a kindergarten's playground.

But just as he was observing his own reflection, the image in front of him changed in a small blinding flash. He flinched a bit and took in the image that appeared before him.

Zero…

It would only take a second to recognize the masked vigilante in his uniform. His very visage stood out like a sore thumb and anyone who caught a glimpse of it would be shaking in their boots.

Suzaku held his breath and eyes widened with horror… but he did not falter. The very enemy that killed his beloved Euphemia stood there for a split of a second before vanishing again into the young Knight's horrid dreams.

"Is something wrong Suzaku?" Nina noticed the boy's distraught.

"No… it's fine. I just have a small headache" he answered lowly before dismissing himself of the image. "I think I'll go find Lord Guilford first. Thanks Nina"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Claudio Darlton walked peacefully in the corridors of the Slepnir that day after he finished moving into the ship with all of his belongings. As a soldier of his status he was usually moved from one country to the next in just a week after transfer. Unlike his brothers, Claudio loves to pack up souvenirs from various places so that he could bring them home to show them to his family. The first item that he brought back was a small snowman in a globe trinket which he got as a spoil of war in his first campaign against the E.U.

After that little gift from the frontlines, he decided to bring more and it suddenly became a habit of his to collect things that he's never seen before.

"Hey, have you ever wondered why the Duchess is caring for that Eleven?" the Glaston Knight stopped on his tracks as his ears got curious to a conversation happening at a secluded spot near the entrance of the engineering block.

"You mean the Knight of Seven?" a voice of one of Nina's assistants echoed. "Not really. Why?"

"I mean why does she even care for that guy? I mean he's nothing more but a 'number' in one of the areas. Why does he get special treatment?"

"Well he was the one who slew Zero a year ago"

"Yeah… and another one turns up his head. If you asked me, he should be stripped of that title"

"Hey! Be careful. You could get into trouble for saying such things. Besides, we're just commoners. If you want my advice: Just do your job and get paid. Leave the politics to the higher ups. It's best not to get involved in such matters"

"Y… yeah I guess you're right…"

Claudio sighed at this. Just thinking of what Suzaku must be going through was insurmountable. He knew that numbers were treated differently but such discrimination was just inhumane. He knew that the emperor was a strong supporter of the Social Darwinism but there had to be a limit somewhere between the lines.

**(Horai Island) (Security District) (Briefing room)**

Zero's arrival on Horai Island was indeed a blessing for the Black Knights. Just knowing that their great and marvelous leader was now with them boosted their morale to new heights. With the announcement of the Britannian attack, the soldiers have been in a bit of unrest.

When the masked leader arrived at the briefing room, all of his contingent staff stood in attention around a holographic desk which displayed the size of the Britannian fleet and Horai Island defenses.

"Zero…" Kallen saluted which seemed to have caused the man to raise a brow in question. "We've been waiting for you sir…" she was accompanied by her second in command, Nagisa Chiba who stood right behind her.

"_Kallen…" _Zero wanted to reach out for her but his mind overruled his body. He locked away all emotions inside him and quickly turned his attention to his men. "What's the status of situation?"

Tohdoh went first. "The Britannian forces have launched a direct attack against us. They publicly announced the size of their forces so we have good intel on their current whereabouts" he pressed a button on the table console thereby revealing the armada of the Britannian forces. "As far as we know they have about two carriers escorted by five battleships from the remnants of the 55th and 56th force. As for their support, a small naval unit. They intend to cross Pacific Ocean into Chinese territory and attack Horai Island"

"We've also identified their commander as a man named Julius Upson" Diethard went next showing the face of the man with a picture he printed out. "He's a Viscount of Lonodova and works under the direct command of Prince Schneizel"

Zero nodded before taking his seat near the table. "The enemy intends to wipe us out in one decisive blow. Using the public media to scare us on the size of their forces. The same tactics were used in the Cold War. Each of those carriers will be having a payload of at least fifty Knightmares. If any one of them should reach Horai Island, the result could be catastrophic. What's the status of our own forces?"

"We have three ships prepped and ready" Ohgi answered as he flipped through the notepad. "And about 50 Knightmares including the Guren. The ones that India brought us were not in full repairs so we're stuck with only 12 combat ready units like Jimmus and the old Gekkas"

"Then that will do" Zero muttered out before devising his master plan. "Rakshata. What about the Guren F.E.V?"

"It's almost ready" the woman answered. "Give me about ten hours and it will be done. The Ikaruga is also prepped, so I'm assuming you're going to bring that one out too?"

"No. The current force we have should suffice" the masked leader stated which earned a round of gasps from the officers. "Listen well… all of you. Because I will not repeat myself again" the others silenced themselves quickly and focused their attention on their leader. "We will move out to engage the enemy. The Black Knights will launch a preemptive strike on the Britannian armada at the Pacific Ocean"

"What!?" they all yelled except for a respected few who understood that plan.

"The objective of our mission is to destroy their carriers and sink them into the ocean"

"Hold on a minute" Asahina objected with his hand raised. "You expect us to go against that kind of army with just 12 Knightmares?"

"If we attack the Britannians from the air, they will only be able to deploy their airborne units" Zero reasoned but it didn't seem enough to satisfy the man.

"But still… we'll be outnumbered 10 to 1. There's no way we can possibly…"

"Asahina!" everyone turned their attention to Chiba who yelled out, silencing her former comrade. "Haven't we had this conversation already…?" it was a question turned into the form of a statement. No one dared to argue against it. Zero's word was law here. His decision is final. And in this new Capital city of his Black Empire, he was their emperor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lelouch groaned silently to himself as he sat on the sofa of his private room. Along with him were C2 who sat on the opposite side of the table and Jeremiah who stood proudly at attention near the entrance.

The meeting went well and the Black Knights were satisfied with the strategy that he concocted. With everyone rushing out to prep up for their departure, the young prince decided to take a break. He'll admit that he loved having the feeling of power back on his hands but there was still an issue that took all the pleasure away.

Nunnally…

Now that he knew where his little sister is, he still felt powerless to do anything about it. Remembering how she touched his hands and his face almost brought tears to his eyes. And so to drown away that aching pain, the boy reached out for the small fridge in his room and pulled out the first alcohol drink he could find. Something numb the pain was always a welcome at this time of dire consequences.

"So… I hear that your sister has become the new minister of the National Guards" C2 broke the ice of silence with her usual commentaries of uncaring words. "It was all over the news yesterday"

"Shut it witch…" he replied irritatingly. "I don't need your annoying comments right now"

"So are you going to fight her? Your own sister?" she stopped immediately when she felt a bottle thrown just inches away from her ear.

"Fight? Nunnally? Is that some kind of joke!?" he smudged the wine off his lips before continuing.

"Then you're just going to leave her alone?"

"Out of the question" he answered almost immediately. "If nothing is done then Nunnally will become a political tool like she was before"

C2 shared his sympathy but she could not bring herself to express it. "A girl who can't walk and can't see…… do they plan to use her as a pawn then throw her away?"

The boy snapped out of his alcohol and smashed it onto the floor. "I'm doing all this to keep that from happening! That's why I formed the Black Knights! I became Zero for Nunnally's sake!"

"I'm well aware that your sister is your entire reason for living… however…"

"I am going to create a world where Nunnally can live happily" Lelouch cut her off. "To do that, I will obliterate Britannia!" Jeremiah flinched slightly at this. For a boy of his age to actually declare war against the most powerful nation in the entire world was almost foolhardy impressive. "You mentioned V2 before back in my resurrection. Is he in the Britannian Homeland?"

"I don't know that much about him" she admitted. "However…… I know that he is your father's first ally. Emperor Charles of Britannia chief confederate"

"Confederate?"

"Yes… long ago… the two of them made a pact"

**(Pendragon Royal Palace gardens)**

Nunnally was reading through a small book (with blind reading prints) that afternoon in the gardens along with Prince Odysseus who joined her for a cup of freshly made tea. The welcoming party last night took a lot of strength out of her so a small breeze of fresh air did her some good.

But as the girl read through the documents given to her, the first prince noticed her concentration being elsewhere. "Is something wrong Nunnally? You look distracted"

"Oh… I'm sorry, brother Odysseus" the young princess replied putting the documents back on the table. "I'm fine really. It's just that I feel like every decision I make on these documents will actually make great changes in life"

"Hehe… I know how that feels. Having all that power at the palm of your hands is quite frightening. But I'm sure you'll do just fine"

"Back when I was studying in Ashford Academy, I usually just made decisions on what costume we had to wear and what I had to do for the student council" she sighed a bit, having a feeling of nostalgia on visiting her old memories. "But now…… the choices I make today will have effect the lives of millions of people in this city"

"It's a nerve wreck, I know" Odysseus laughed. "But I'm sure whatever decision you make will be for the best. I have to admit you're even better than me. It usually takes me days before I can come to a decision"

"You've always been indecisive. Even back during our party in Aeries Villa you even had a hard time picking which shoe you wanted to wear to the ball"

Odysseus rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly as he remembered that time seven years ago back in Nunnally's late-mother's estate. "Oh indeed. Before long the ball started on without me and I almost had to go through that ordeal with two pairs of socks if it wasn't for Cornelia" he paused for a moment trying to gather himself up from those happy times.

The birds in the garden chirped in the nearby tree and the fluttering of their wings seemed to be gentle. The soothing sound of the fountain was also calming and rigid at best.

"Um… brother Odysseus? (Hmm?) Can you tell me who that person I met in the welcome party was?"

"The welcoming party? Oh you mean the Baron Lelouch?" she nodded in response. "Well there's not much to say really. He became a noble about a few months ago. He was a commoner back then who purchased the Great Deed of Hollington from the noble house of Ashford… and for a good sum I hear"

"I see……… um… would it bother you if I could ask for a meeting with him from time to time?"

"Of course not. It would be good to have a good noble house like Lelouch as a friend. I think I can make the arrangements. How about this weekend?"

"That would be wonderful. Hehe…… you know brother Odysseus: I think you would make a great ruler one day"

"Oh now that's just flattering" he stated out while taking a cup of tea on his mouth. "I wouldn't be much of a ruler at all"

"That's not true. You're kind and gentle" she pointed out the man's traits straightforward. "That's the kind of thing we need in this country. In a world full of strife and fear I'm sure that it will be the kindness of man that outlasts the day"

"That's kind of you to say Nunnally…… but I'm afraid that there's are only a few people who are worthy of the throne of our father"

"Oh?" the princess stopped her drinking as if caught by his words. "Who are they?"

"The most obvious choice right now is Schneizel" he explained thoroughly as if recalling from some feint memories of his younger brother's past glories across the world. He remembered how Schneizel won his first victory at the English Channel and how he miraculously staved off attacks with little resource available to him.

"Big brother Schneizel? Isn't he in the Chinese Federation?"

"Yes he is. But let's not delve deeper into politics again. I know. Why don't we take a walk around the park? I'm sure you would appreciate the good breeze"

"Yes, I would love that…"

**(Pacific Ocean) (56****th**** fleet main carrier) (5 hours later)**

General Upson was feeling rather pleased with himself that afternoon. Now that his entire fleet was airborne and the naval force guarding the bottom of his armada he was pretty sure of his own victory against the Black Knights. He was so confident of his own army that he even approved the media crew of Hi-TV to follow them on a civilian plane. They would record the fleet's every move and show them the true might of the Britannian army.

"How long until we finally reach the waters of the Chinese Federation?" he asked to his advisor.

"About six hours my lord" he answered. "We'll deploy near the borders of Horai Island and lay siege to their defenses. According to what the High Eunuchs has provided us, their defenses should be at bare minimal"

"HA! Excellent. What a perfect opportunity to crush them all under our foot. I bet the broadcast we made on television even got that Zero shaking under his mask"

"Y… yes sir"

"Hehehehe… hahaha! This is terrific. With this, my name will be written in history for all times! As the man who not only took down the Black Knights, but Zero himself! I'll be made in legends I'm sure"

**(Britannia) (Ashford University) (Student council room)**

"Haaa…" that was the sound of Rivalz sighing to himself as he was left alone at the student council room finishing off those papers that reported the school budget. "I can't believe those guys leaving all this job to me. I can understand Lelouch having noble duties and all and Shirley having to practice for her swim team, but why does Milly have to go off watching a movie at a time like this!? Just because class was canceled for today!?"

Meow…

"Huh?" the boy stopped his tantrum when he recognized a familiar cat, purring next to his paperwork. "Oh hey there Arthur. I guess I'm not totally alone huh? Come on. Why don't you and I watch TV while and get away from all this work? I even got you some sardines and milk from shopping yesterday" he took the fluffy cat by the body sat down by the couch and flipped on the television hoping to catch something good.

After scrolling through some commercials and daily cartoons he came upon the famed Hi-TV news channel. Ever since the Black Rebellion in Area 11, Hi-TV have been getting popular support for becoming one of the few channels that reported live combat fighting at the frontlines. Even now, it is considered to be the most watched news channel in the whole empire.

"Heh… again with the fleet?" Rivalz commented as he saw the powerful armada that was being sent to fight the Black Knights. No matter what news channel they were on it still made headlines everywhere. "Geeze. Don't these guys have anything better to do than… huh?"

"We have new development here at the Pacific Ocean!" the reporter on scene stated out as a blurred image of unknown crafts entered the airspace. "There's something blocking the front of the armada! We're trying to get a clear picture now" the camera man zoomed in closer trying to get the shape out of the clouds. But when the objects finally surfaced out of the puffs, their eyes widened with horror. "Is… is that what I think it is!?"

**(Pacific Ocean) (56****th**** fleet main carrier)**

The alarms sounded off when the three objects came into view. General Upson quickly stood up from his seat and saw in terror three black cruisers smaller than his own ships approach them head on. "Th… the Black Knights!?"

Zero sat calmly on his throne on one of the cruisers watching as he saw the Britannian fleet come into view on screen. With a quick glance he knew that a direct assault would be foolhardy. His small attack force was at a disadvantage in numbers, technology and skill but his brains alone made all the difference in this battle.

"Black Knights…" he stated on the microphone. "Prepare for battle! The objective of this operation is to destroy the Britannian fleet that is on route to Horai Island, the capital of our country. No matter what happens, we must stop them here before they can do any real damage. Is that clear?"

"Roger!"

"All units, get to your assigned positions" the masked leader stated. "Get in close with the enemy's main carrier. Bring us about!"

"Yes, master Zero!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The enemy force is but a small fleet!" General Upson stated to his men. "Deploy our aerial forces immediately and surround them!"

"Yes my lord. Squad 10-13 have been deployed on the field. Chopper seven, you are clear for launch. Gun turrets prepare to fire the moment we get in range of the enemy cruisers"

"Have the third escort unit flank around the enemy!" Upson ordered out pointing at the farthest escort ship. "We'll hammer through their formation head on!"

"General, we have a transmission from the Slepnir sir" one of the com officers stated. "They're requesting that Lord Guilford and the Glaston Knights to be deployed as well"

"Belay that request! Like I need help from a puppet like him. Tell the Duchess that we have the situation under control! There's no need to deploy any other units other than my own"

"Y… yes my lord"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as Zero caught sight of the Britannian fleet separating to flank his sides, he let out a smirk knowing that everything was going according to his plan. "Tch. A typical maneuver for an amateur tactician" he mused himself before issuing to his own troops. "Right. They've begun their move. Begin our attack run! Vessel 3, move into position and keep their right wing from extending. (Yes sir!) Vessel 2 will cover us and harass the enemy! All guns, commence fire!"

"All guns! Fire!"

"All units commence attack!"

With that order given, the battle had begun. Missiles whistled from their tubes and guns blazed out from all areas from each ship. The Black Knights attacked first… and now it was up to Zero to make sure that everything goes according to plan.

**(Chinese Federation) (Luoyang international airport) (Avalon)**

Schneizel was meeting with the representatives from the Todomo Agency that afternoon at his ship over lunch in the meeting room. They were discussing about various topics on a certain new weapon that they were developing and how the budget was deteriorating their progress.

But just as they were chatting casually over mundane yet humorous topics, one of the officers from the bridge suddenly barged in unannounced. "Your highness!" he shouted out panting like he just finished a marathon.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kanon Maldini questioned with a stern face. "We're currently at a very important meeting"

"It's alright Kanon" the prince waved him off signaling the guards to give the officer some time to breath. "What is it? It sounds like you have something urgent to tell me"

"Yes your highness. Forgive the intrusion" the man rested his back slightly before continuing. "But we've just received word that the Black Knights have engaged in combat with General Upson!"

"Oh?" the prince raised his brow a bit surprised to see the fight starting so early. "Has he arrived on Horai Island already?"

"No sir, they're currently in combat over the Pacific Ocean" A round of gasps and whispers echoed amongst the representatives of the Todomo Agency.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What!?" Xingke himself was startled by the same news as his trusted officer Xianglin came by to report to him what had happened. "Zero has gone off to fight with the Britannians!?" he was staying in his personal ship in which was to take him to Horai Island where he could observe the battle, but now it seemed like the masked vigilante took him by surprise. To actually think that anyone would attack Britannia head on was like asking someone to commit suicide.

"I'm afraid so…" she nodded in response. "He's taken with him three ships and a handful of Knightmares to combat them. They're fighting even as we speak"

"He would dare to face the devouring best head on?" Xingke turned back to his chair before acknowledging this information. "I don't know whether to call him brave or………… or does he intend to…?"

"Master Xingke?" Xianglin noticed the man paused in his sentence as if he was thinking of something.

But everything seems to be fitting. With Zero out there engaging General Upson head on, it was no doubt a suicide mission. However… Xingke seemed convinced that the man may have a plan up his cape. There was no way he could tell for sure so he had to go and see it for himself.

"Xianglin, prep the ship for launch. (Sir?) I want to see this battle for myself"

"But what about the Black Knights?"

"We'll leave them alone for now. I owe them that much for giving us extra time to formulate our plans" he explained thoroughly. "However…… if Zero proves himself incompetent, then we'll just the Black Knights as our diplomatic tool"

"Yes, commander" Xianglin nodded. "We'll be departing shortly" she then turned to her communicator which patched a line with the pilot. "Pilot, we're departing for the Pacific Ocean. Set a course to the battle zone"

"We hear and obey my lady"

**(Pacific Ocean)**

The barrage of bullets and missiles fired from the Black Knight fleet did very little damage to Upson's armada. When the first shell landed against their shield system, it seemed almost like they firing arrows at their hull.

"Damage to shield is minimal, commander" the officer on the defense network stated with relative ease knowing that their ship was well protected. "They seem to be using old standard weaponries from last generation"

The General smirked at this. "HA! So this is what the Black Knights have degraded to? A bunch of rebels with barely even the technology to match out own. They're nothing to us now" but then he noticed one of the enemy ships slowly moving towards their flanking unit. "Oh… and look how obvious their strategies are. He's trying to decoy us while that single ship tries to get close. How predictable for a man behind a mask"

"General" the com officer called out. "All aerial units have been deployed. Should we attack the enemy ships on the left wing?"

"They're just decoys. Ignore them" he ordered. "They're real punch line is that craft floating lazily to our flank. Divert all our forces around it. That must be where Zero is. If we can kill him, this whole war will be ours"

"Zero!" Minami shouted his name, "The enemy seems to be converging on vessel 3!"

"Then he's taken the bait" the masked leader nodded with an invisible grin on his lips. "Tell the crew on vessel 3 to abandon ship. They know the plan" he then switched on to a different frequency on the computer next to his throne. "Tohdoh… get ready"

"Right. We'll commence the attack on your order"

"Good. Rakshata, what's the status of the Guren?"

"Not long now" the woman answered a bit displeased with the man's impatience. "About a few hours at best"

"Then we'll continue with our plan" Zero ordered. "Ohgi, get yourselves ready as well"

"Right" the deputy commander nodded his head on the com screen. "We're loading the last one right now. Just give us the word Zero"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the battle raged on outside, several copters took a lucky shot at the third Black Knight vessel that was isolated from the main force. The shot went through and since the Black Knights didn't have the shield technology like the Britannians they were easy targets for fighters like them.

"Amateurs…" the pilot of one of the choppers smirked. "You may have big ships and all, but against fighters like us, you're useless"

"This is Alpha 6 calling all units" came another pilot's voice on the com. "They appear to be abandoning ship. Naval units are moving in to arrest them"

"Just like I thought. This Zero is nothing more but a show off. He's got nothing on… huh?" the man stopped when he noticed something happening to the abandoned vessel. "Hey… what's that on its… oh no… it's…"

"All units get out of there! It's gonna blo…shhhhhh" the transmission ended with static followed by an explosion that could've made into the records of the 4th of July fireworks history.

"Watch out for debris! They're going to… oh crap!"

"Alpha 6, get out of there! You'll get across Bravo's unit! (Boom!) Damn it! What the hell happened!?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero made a snickering laugh under his mask as he saw the Britannian fighters blew up one by one. _"You took the bait, commander Upson. I figured you'd concentrate your airpower on the smoke. The obvious response"_

"Enemy fighters have all depleted" Diethard announced proudly to their leader.

"Right. The time for our attack is now! All units, descend upon the enemy carriers in wave and attack. Tohdoh will lead group one with Chiba, Asahina and Urabe. Sugiyama and Tamaki will lead group two. Yoshida and Inoue will lead group three. Jeremiah will provide air cover. The Guren will only be deployed after Rakshata finishes installing the FLOAT system"

"Roger!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the hanger bay of the Black Knight ships opened, a small swarm of Knightmares being carried by helicopters flowed out as preparing to overrun the enemy forces before them. With all of their fighters destroyed by the explosion, the Britannian warships had no way of directly attacking the smaller vessels that approached them.

Ohgi easily moved Tohdoh to the designated area with barely any resistance. "Alright Colonel Tohdoh. The rest is up to you"

"Right…" the samurai responded in a way he always have. "Good luck to you, deputy commander" with a press of a button, the colonel deployed himself onto the main carrier along with the rest of his team. "Chiba, you're with me. Asahina and Urabe will focus on the second carrier while the others deal with the battleships"

"Yes sir" the second soldier of the Zero squad nodded her Knightmare's head in response. "Now that their airpower has been exhausted, they have no way of fighting back"

"Now we can focus on their flagship" Asahina smirked as he cut down on the carrier's gun turret. "Urabe, you focus on the FLOAT unit. I'll deal with their defenses"

"Don't get cocky now" his partner grinned seeing how the operation was proceeding smoothly. "If Senba was here he'd probably say that you'll end up a skinned rabbit"

"Right right… I'll stick to the basics"

With all of their Knighmares deployed, Ohgi decided to make himself scarce before the enemy had a chance to regroup. "Alright. We're done here. We're withdrawing to our rendezvous point. Good luck!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Impossible…" Upson stood eyes widened as the screen popped up showing the Black Knights landing on his carriers. "They're landing on top of us!?" he saw another come in from the chopper and easily sliced through the gun turret that tried to defend itself.

"Two units have landed on our wing" one of the com staff reported, showing the camera of one of the turrets before it was cut off by a barrage of bullets. "They're on our escort ships as well!"

"Deploy our remaining air units and have the escort ships fire as well!"

"But sir! The enemy is targeting our FLOAT units and… we can't shoot back because our shields are up"

"Then how can we defend this ship!?" the General snapped turning his head back to the screen where he saw the Black Knights slow tearing through his ship's hull with almost no resistance at all. "Grrrrr! If I'd know this was possible I would've equipped our Knightmares with FLOAT units. It'll take forever to redo all of the equipment method!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kallen bit her lip as she saw the battle through the monitor screen of her Guren. She was stuck in the hanger bay while the rest of her comrades were out there fighting Britannia. She had to admit though that they were doing well thanks to Zero's tactics. With their aerial power down it was only a matter of time before the rest of the armada sank at the bottom of the Pacific. However… to not be part of such a battle left her yearning for a fight.

Fighting Britannia was what she did for a living. She knew how they fought and she knew what kind of strategy they would use on a battlefield. Being a resistance member for so long made her adaptable to their combat style so you could say that she knows them better than most resistance fighters.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What the hell!?" those were the last words said to a chopper pilot before he was obliterated by a hail of bullets coming from Jeremiah's Black Sutherland equipped with a FLOAT unit. The man had been in the air for a while providing air cover to the Black Knights while they dealt with the ships. He had to admit though that the battle was going favorably on their side. With the naval force below unable to do anything and their aerial strength down to a bare minimum, it should be over within a matter of minutes.

"Master Zero" Jeremiah called out to his master. "The remaining enemy fighters have been dealt with. We've destroyed their catapult launching bay so they won't be able to deploy anymore"

"Excellent. Provide cover for Tohdoh's unit. We can end this battle quickly"

"Understood. Moving into position now to… huh?" he quickly took evasive maneuvers when he saw a hail of bullets coming at him. "What? Did I miss one of them?"

Chiba noticed the firing too and quickly zoomed into the small figures from the far end of the armada's formation. "Enemy reinforcements? So soon?"

"No…" Kyoshiro snarled. "It looks like their rear guard… and… they have FLOAT units"

"Knightmares…" Urabe spat at them. "And that unit at the center is…"

Guilford braced his courage together as he rode his Vincent along with his Glaston Knights. "Right. Time to bring down the curtains. Claudio, with me (Yes sir!) Alfred and David will assist the second carrier. Bart and Edgar will harass the enemy on the escort ships! (Yes commander!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nina looked patiently at the combat efficiency of her Knightmares through a screen which showed the data that was being gathered of their performance.

"Outputs on all units are normal" one of her assistances stated as she calculated the missing numbers on screen. "Weapon functions are nominal"

"The mass production center of the Vincent will be pleased with the results" another of the scientists noted it on his notepad.

"I'm reading a 0.3 seconds variable to specs"

"Looks like there's still room for improvement" Nina made a mental note to review the details after she returns to Prince Schneizel with the information. "Procure a shipment of titanium alloy back to the Floating Garden" she said to her secretary who wrote it down on her padpaper. "We must've tightened the joints too much with bolts. Steel and iron won't work well like this. But anyway, what's the status of the Knights of the Round"

"Just setting them up on the catapult my lord" the pilot answered back while trying to keep the ship steady. "They should be out in a few minutes"

"It's a good thing we got permission for the budget in time" Nina sighed slightly at this. "Keep track of the data and record all moments. We can't underestimate the enemies either"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Don't think you have an edge just because you can fly!" Chiba barked out firing her machine gun at the incoming Britannian reinforcements. But to her surprise those units were faster than the usual Sutherlands and Gloucesters that she fought back during the Black Rebellion. "What the? This speed is…"

"Ho…" Guilford smiled as he was impressed with the girl's accurate shooting skills. "You have the right instincts… but the wrong Knightmare!" he sped up against the Gekka and twirled his dual-sided blade around before striking. "Here!"

"Chiba, look out!" Tohdoh rushed in quickly and parried the man's attack with his sword. "Well what do you know? If it isn't the same one from Narita and the Tokyo Settlement!?"

The Spearhead of Britannia recognized the black Gekka that parried his move. He encountered it once before during the liberation of Japan. "That frame… it's… Tohdoh!?" he broke the parry and got some distance between his target. "It seems like fate has a way of bringing you and I to combat"

"Colonel!" Chiba yelled out in fright.

"Don't worry about me!" he replied through the com. "Take care of the FLOAT unit! We can win this battle if we just sink this ship to the ocean! I will deal with this"

"Y…… yes sir" Chiba was hesitant at first but decided to fight against her urged to rush in there and fight along side him. By the time she got to the FLOAT engines Claudio was already there with a sword drawn. "Damn it…"

Seeing that they were in a tight spot, Tohdoh clicked up the communication channel to see how the others were faring. "Asahina, Urabe. What's the situation on your end!?"

"We've destroyed the third engine and moving up to the last one" Urabe answered. "We should have this area done and meet up with you in a few minutes" but then he stopped when he saw two smaller Vincent modules enter their combat space. "What the?!"

"Black Knights, this is your end!" Alfred gave out a battlecry before charging in directly with his blade. Urabe parried it with ease but found himself struggling a lot more than usual.

"They've seemed to have gotten better equipments than last time!"

But then Asahina came in and broke the deadlock between the two. "And it looks like this group is the same one we fought back in Japan. Urabe, take care of the FLOAT units, I'll hold them off"

"Right…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upson's face was mortified with anger as he saw Guilford come to his rescue. Though the crew may appreciate the assistance, he was not. "Damn that Guilford, acting without orders!"

"But he saved us my lord" his advisor reasoned which was countered with a bark.

"Yes and he'll take all of the credit!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Take this Britannian!" Yoshida clipped his rifle with joy when he finally took down the engine block of a battleship he was on. "This is Yoshida. Inoue and I have just taken out the enemy cruiser. They appear to be running out of air strength. We'll move on to back Colonel Tohdoh and… huh?" he stopped when he noticed an enemy Knightmare coming right in front of him. Before he could say anything, his Jimmu was stabbed on the arm making it impossible to move.

"Yoshida!?" Inoue yelped before firing her rifle at the enemy. "Get your hands off him!" but she was stabbed by another enemy Knightmare before she was able to help. "Damn it!"

"You Black Knights are too simple" Bart taunted. "Using such outdated technology on an aerial fight like this" but to his surprise, both of their units were able to eject in time.

Edgar mocked as well seeing how easy it was to deal with a small group such as this. "Lord Guilford, we've neutralized the first group of enemy saboteurs. We were able to rescue the fifth vessel, but we were unable to save ships number one, four and two. Proceeding as planned"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Yoshida's unit has been destroyed!" Minami announced to the commander. "Sugiyama is also under attack and won't be able to hold on for long!"

"As I expected, their Knightmares combat performance has increased dramatically" to their surprise, Zero was able to stay calm to through the whole fight. He sounded almost as if he expected these kinds of things to happen. "Then there's no other choice. Tell the second vessel to prepare to ram the enemy's main carrier and abandon ship. The first vessel will continue withdrawing and stay out of their firing range"

"Yes sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Alright!" Tamaki cheered to himself as he miraculously managed to destroy one of the engines which disabled the ship he was on. "That's the last one on this end. Hey Sugiyama, come on man, we got to bail this thing before we sink with it"

"Great, now look who's giving the orders" the blue haired man humored before his detector sounded. "Hmm? Another enemy? Wha…!?" he wasn't given a chance to finish when a large piercing Slash Harken cut off his arm. "Damn it! Sorry, I'm out!" he ejected and left what remained of his Jimmu to flip over to the sea.

As Tamaki turned to what shot his pal he too was shot upon, making him eject too. "What the hell!? I barely even got to shoot you!"

But right above him, Jeremiah somehow recognizes the unit that flew passed them. "That unit… it couldn't be…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Alright… it's discipline time" Gino smirked to himself as he flew in his Tristian. He was surprised how General Upson was cornered so easily by a small number of Black Knight soldiers even thought he possessed obviously superior numbers and firepower.

Asahina saw the Knight of the Round but was odd to see a fighter plane flying with such weapons. "What a weird looking fighter plane. But even so…" he fired his machine gun at it, but was surprised to see the plane suddenly transformed into a battle frame. "A Knightmare!!?" he took out his sword but was not quick enough to parry the blow.

"Sorry about this, but your fault for underestimating me" the blonde knight stated before finishing the Gekka off, cutting its arms and legs forcing it to auto eject. "Three down, five to go"

"I'm finished…… sorry…"

"Asahina!" Urabe yelped. "Damn! You bastard!!" in revenge for his friend he quickly charged in, ignoring his first task of destroying the carrier's FLOAT unit. "You'll pay for this!"

But the strength of their combat frames was on a completely different league. With each blow Urabe gave it only made it clear that Gino's Knightmare was superior in all aspects from movement to reflexes.

"I don't really fancy picking on those weaker than me… but I guess it can't be helped" Gino again spun his scythe like weapon around and skillfully disarm the Gekka with a quick swing. "Sorry, but this is it for you!" but before he could deliver the finishing blow, he quickly ducked away from a hail of rockets fired from the air. "Whoa… another one?"

Urabe looked up to his rescuer and to his surprise it was Jeremiah who came for him. "Is that… Orange?"

"You there!" the former margrave barked. "Be done with your task quickly. I will handle this interloper!"

"Never thought I would actually be saved by a Brtiannian"

When Jeremiah came face to face with the Knight of the Round, his heart sank slightly as he knew that there was no way a mere Sutherland can match up against a fully customized unit developed by the empire's best researchers. Their gap in their strength and performance was obviously wide and it would take a miracle to even attempt to damage such a thing. But gathering the strength of his loyalty together, the man stepped forward, a rocket launcher on one hand and the gun on the other.

"A black Sutherland huh?" Gino raised his brow in suspicion. "You're the one Guilford was talking about during the skirmish in Japan"

"Yes I am" he replied with courage holding his voice. "And I shall be your opponent on this battle. Your Knightmare may be superior to my own but I will let you know that our skills are equal"

"Oh? Well let's just see about that!"

Urabe saw Jeremiah lifted off on his FLOAT unit along with the enemy which seemed to have bought him enough time to reach the engine of the second carrier. "Alright this should do it" firing his gun onto the rudder, a large explosion burst from the pipes and slowly but surely, the ship began to fall. "Right, I'm done on my end. Commander Tohdoh, the second enemy carrier has been disabled. I'll be moving in to join you in a second. (Boom!) What the!?" he quickly ejected when he saw his arm torn off by a stray bullet coming from one of the ship's turret.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"That leaves just three enemy units remaining" the advisor of General Upson stated with relieved heart.

But of course the General himself was petrified. To actually have the emperor's personal knights come to aid him was disgraceful. Almost humiliating to be of fact. "The Knights of the Round…… I'll never be able to bear this disgrace! (Beep beep beep!) Now what!?"

"A Black Knight cruiser has broken away from the main wing!" the radar officer reported.

"Wha!?"

"It's on a collision course!"

"Turn the ship!"

"We'll never make it! We're gonna crash!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But right before the Black Knight fire-ship could make it to the target, a large Hadron Canon Beam suddenly appeared from the clouds, cutting it in half, destroying its forward nose in the process.

Even Jeremiah himself flinched from the explosion. "Geh! Wha… what power!?"

But Gino only smirked back as he knew how his partner worked at this kind of situation. "Aheh… the Mordred always handles things in its own unique way" From there, the large frame of the Mordred appeared as if some kind of ancient Greek God descending from Olympia. "Anya, don't do that again. We don't want to destroy the carrier now, do we?"

"But I saved it…" the pink haired knight replied in her usual monotone voice.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero's eyes twitched slightly as his plan was foiled by a single blast from the Stark Hadron Canon of the Mordred. Even the officers in the bridge were paralyzed on the immense firepower they possessed. To think that two soldiers would actually make a difference in a long term fight.

"They destroyed the whole ship… with one blast…" Minami gasped.

"_Damn it all"_ Zero grunted inwardly to himself. _"I knew that the Knights of the Round would be a thorn at my side but I never expected them to be such nuisances"_

"Commander!" the com officer shouted with fright clearly stated on his face. "Another enemy Knightmare has been detected!"

"What? More of them?"

"Yes sir! But… this unit is…"

Zero's eyes widened when he knew right away what the man was talking about. "It must be him…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tohdoh also had the same conclusion when he saw the white Knight made its reappearance in the sky. "There can only be one person capable of flying that machine…"

"The traitor of Japan…" Chiba added snarling at the new enemy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The one who killed Zero…" Kallen bit her lip together too with her grip tightening on the controller of the Guren. "Suzaku Kururugi…"


	19. The White Knight and the Red Devil

**Chapter 19: The White Knight and the Red Devil**

It has long been said that in times long gone, whenever an Evil being rises, a knight is chosen to subdue it. There have always been stories told of heroes in shining white armor descending on their mighty steed with a shield and sword facing against monsters and demons alike.

Their names praised upon by the people, their history written in stone. But alas, such heroes are rare in times of struggle. One who is able to wield a sword against injustice is not easy to find. To even bear one in the side of righteous is even rarer.

But has there been such a knight nowadays?

Could there truly be one who can hold a lance against evil? True Evil?

Or is it these men who serve the cause of Good that creates Evil?

**(Britannia) (Hollington) (Lamperouge Estate)**

Rolo walked quietly that afternoon in the main hallway of the Lamperouge estate, eyes darting left and right overseeing the maids and servants cleaning the place. He sighed to himself as he recalled meeting the OSI agents this morning to debrief them about the situation happening at the Pacific Ocean. From what they heard last before the feed was cut off by the Britannian military, the Black Knights were whipping the armada on route to Horai Island. So far no news report was announced but there was a good chance that the media would try to cover it up with a story that would not strive to panic the public.

They didn't want the people to know that they were actually struggling against such a small force.

But the young boy shook away from that matter for he had other duties to attend to. Other than being a prop for Lelouch's feign appearance here in Britannia, he was also tasked by the dark master to make sure that none of the OSI would defect. Even though the high command of the agency was firmly in his pockets, there was still a small risk that the lower ranking agents may take action against him and that could possibly create a loop in the smoke screen.

The young Lamperouge stopped suddenly on his tracks when he heard a strange giggling sound coming from the east side of the courtyard. His mind flailed that it was probably just some of the maids giggling with one another but it seemed like a larger group this time which seemed pretty odd.

To the boy's surprise, he was panicked to see his own brother at the center of park with about two dozen maids amassed around him. From what he could tell, his elder brother appeared to be charming them with his spell. His words were soft and tender and his Penelope colored eyes were so alluring that no one could protect themselves from its magic.

It was obvious that he was flirting, but not in an open manner.

"B… big brother!" Rolo interrupted the boy with a small blush appearing on his cheeks.

"Oh hello there Rolo" Lelouch replied politely and calmly. "Would you like to join us? We're having tea and…"

"Not now, sorry!" he replied almost instantly before grabbing his hand and dragging him off towards the ranch. "I'd like to speak with you in private for a miniute" he dragged the young master to a small secluded spot near the secret elevator of the OSI outpost before letting out a deep sigh.

"Did I do something wrong?" Lelouch asked. His sad frown marking his face in a strange manner.

Rolo paused for a moment to catch his breath. Slowly he entered the password on the elevator and waited for it to move. "I know you're supposed to play as a stand in, but you're interaction with the others are going a bit far. You should know that Lelouch is very self centered"

"Is that so? I'm sorry… I didn't know" the impersonator slowly removed her face mask and took off her wig revealing the face of Sayoko. "I've always had a thought of him being a charmer so I thought that he would take such actions"

Upon their timely arrival at the OSI meeting room, Villeta was already there along with two of her intelligence agents. "You're just in time" she stated plainly as she gestured on the monitor screen.

Rolo turned his head to the screen but he couldn't really tell what was going on. He recognize it as the fight between Zero and the Britannian armada but there was too much smoke and gunfire to tell what was really happening. "What's the situation at the Pacific Ocean?"

"Zero is in trouble, that much we can tell" one of the agents replied while handing over a pad which contained the information of the three Knights of the Round that joined the fight. "As far as we cab tell. Sir Guilford and the Knights of the Round joined the fight not long ago. They've destroyed half of the Black Knight's forces which is why the feed was returned"

"We've also received word that reinforcements from Forlorn Woods have also been dispatched as well. They should be arriving in a matter of hours"

"At this rate…" the silver haired baroness grumbled. "… Zero may be defeated…"

But little did Villetta knew, that the battle over the Pacific was far from over.

**(Pacific Ocean)**

Zero gritted his teeth sourly as he saw the White Knight of Britannia descended upon the operation's airspace. No matter what strategy he came up with, the boy inside that machine continued to be a thorn at his side. Now that both his attack plans were foiled and his strike forces halved by the enemy's initial barrage, the odds were gravely against him.

"Commander Tohdoh's unit is pinned down at the first command carrier" Minami reported, eyes widening at the sheer power by the Knights of the Round. "At this rate we'll lose both Chiba and Jeremiah"

The vigilante spat at this. If he continued along this path then it was already certain that defeat would be his downfall. "Rakshata, what's the status of the Guren?"

"We're just about done here" the scientist responded which made the man grin evilly under his mask. "We're about to assemble it right now but it might take about 5 to 10 minutes before…"

"Launch the Guren Mk. II along with the FLOAT unit to the battlefield" he ordered plainly which seemed to make everyone around him gasp. Even Kallen herself was surprised by that statement. "She'll assemble in mid-air and support Tohdoh from above"

"ARE YOU NUTS!?" the staff officers on board the bridge flinch at the roar of the creator of the Guren. "Assembling it in mid-air requires a lot of skill. It's impossible!"

"Not for Kallen…" Zero stated, his mind knowing full well what his 'ace' can do. "She can do it… I know her skills far better than anyone. I know she can do it…"

"Zero……" Kallen whispered under her breath, her eyes glistening to the trust the man has give her. Her mind daring to say that this was the real Zero.

"If we do not act now, Tohdoh and the others will be captured…" the masked man added, convincing the other members to see the logic in his actions. "Our options are limited and withdrawing from here is inconceivable. We cannot allow this fleet to reach the shores of our homeland. At the cost of our lives… we will protect it!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Suzaku eyed suspiciously at the monitor of his frame. His mind darted from the battle he was in and the welcoming party back in Pendragon. "Zero… he's really here? But there hasn't been any confirmation yet from central command and no word from the Office of Secret Intelligence. So am I fighting another Zero… or Lelouch right now?"

"Suzaku" the boy turned his eye to Gino's face on the monitor. "We'll handle the ones on the ship, you get that last enemy cruiser and we'll be free and clear"

"Right. But be careful. They might have another plan up their sleeves" he knew well that taking the Black Knights lightly may just be their downfall. He experienced their fight first hand during the war so he knew what these men were capable of when fighting against enemies with extreme odds.

"Right. We'll handle things on this end" Gino swung his scythe again cutting off Jeremiah's Sutherland arm breaking the rifle away. "I got to admit. You're a good pilot. But no one can defeat a Knight of the Round…"

"Damn it…!" Jeremiah cursed under his breath as his monitor screen showed various error signs. "I knew I couldn't stop him. But I won't let you get any further than this! (Beep beep!) The auto eject? No… don't you dare…" but alas his machine rebelled against him, making his cockpit block eject from the frame.

"That leaves only those two on the carrier"

**(Xingke's personal vessel)**

Xianglin eyed suspiciously at the battle that was displayed on the monitor. Her tactical conscious slowly deciphering the situation of both sides. After she and Xingke arrived on scene they made sure that they were at least 3 kilometers from the battle zone so they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. It was obvious to her that the Black Knights were losing heavily. With reinforcements and support of the elite force of the Britannian Empire, it was only a matter of time before Zero signals their retreat.

"It appears that reinforcements from Britannia will be arriving soon" she stated carefully from the report she received on the phone. "They'll be here in an hour or so if the weather proves favorable to their side. It'll be only a matter of time before the Black Knights are utterly crushed"

"Yes… I can see that" the young Dragon of the Federation nodded, his eyes somewhat focused on the battle. "Even without their reinforcements the attack force here can still be wiped out"

"It was a one sided battle to begin with" the brunette intelligence officer added, her sights darting from the screen to the window. "Because he brought such limited forces with him, the enemy took the advantage. Not to mention the Knights of the Round joining in the fight. If Zero doesn't order reinforcements soon, his revolution will be snuffed within minutes"

"But yet we've received no word of activity from Hong Gu and there has been so sight of movement from Horai Island. It's clear now that Zero doesn't intend to summon any more troops than the ones he has now"

"Then he'll be destroyed along with…"

"No…" Xingke cut her off. "He's try to prove something………… he's trying to show the world that it doesn't take strength to fight the empire… but a skilled leader. If by some miracle he does win this battle, then the undecided nations and exiled regimes outside the Britannian colonies will flock to his side"

"But even so… not even he could possibly match up to that kind of…"

"Xianglin… what was the media allowed to state to the public"

"Huh?" the woman slowly picked up a pad paper from her lap and read the notes at the bottom. "From what we heard last after they were cut off was that the Black Knights were engaging with General Upson's forces"

"Were there any pictures or statement of weapons they were using?"

She flipped through the notes and read aloud the article. "No, none. But there are pictures of several Burais of the Black Knights"

"Then that's all the evidence Zero needs" Xingke cupped his hands over his mouth as he stated. He had to admit that he was impressed with Zero's strategies. To think that he would use one single piece of evidence to shed light to the people just to boost his popularity. Heck even Xingke himself thought that if they fought against each other in a grand battle, it would probably be one worth mentioning in the history books.

And it was safe to say that not many people are able to earn the respect of the famed dragon. The only ones he saw as threats to him were Prince Schneizel himself and the infamous Knight of One, Bismarck Waldstein.

**(Back at the Pacific) (Britannian main carrier)**

"HAAA!!" Tohdoh yelled out in a joyous battle cry as he cut through Claudio's frame, ripping its FLOAT unit off. The man in the cockpit knew his defeat and ejected from battle with his honor intact.

"Colonel!" Chiba's voice called out, the ex-member of the Four Holy Sword arriving not long after his attack, covering the commander's back, her own frame. Her own Knightmare marked with the signs of recent damage as were those of her former commander. "Are you alright!?"

"I'm alright. But we don't have much time" Tohdoh spoke, his voice heavy, laced with exhaustion of fighting. "If this ship crosses through Chinese Federation Water then we're done for. I'll try to create an opening on their rear end and you'll destroy the last three remaining FLOAT units"

"But… you can't possibly"

"We don't have much of a choice!" he barked, silencing the girl instantly. "Everything we do now is out of a gamble! We have to stop this fleet right here and now!" he then charged right against Guilford's frame, putting himself on another deadlock. "Now Chiba! Go!"

The female soldier cursed herself for taking such action but followed it anyway. With Guilford and the other Glaston Knights still far away she thought that maybe, just maybe she would be able to finish the job.

"Oh no you don't" Gino taunted, catching Tohdoh's attention. "You're not doing anything here"

He flight was cut short when the commander used his other hand to fire a hail of bullets, making the Knight of Three parry the barrage with his scythe.

"That's one down!" Chiba cheered silently to herself as she pierced her saw blade onto the engines of the ship. The lights around it died down signaling the end of its use. "Two more to go and we can… huh?"

"Tag… you're dead…" Anya's voice stated, her giant Mordred easily grabbing the Gekka frame by the head, crushing its visor with little effort.

"Geh!" Chiba fought off her anger as she wasn't going down without a fight. She rerouted her remaining energy onto her frame's arms and used the sword to slash the giant Knightmare. But to her horrors, her blade barely even made a scratch on it. "What kind of armor is that?!"

"Chiba, eject! Hurry!" Tohdoh ordered, his arms still struggling against Guilford's blade.

The Black Knight soldier followed his command but only to find one error followed by another. "I… can't!" she lifted the switch under her seat, repeatedly but to avail. "The ejection circuits are stuck!"

"Defective equipments at a time like this!?"

Chiba panicked, her heart raced with fear and her mind slowly slipping away from reality. To see her own weapon unable to penetrate the sheer thickness of the Mordred, shocked her greatly as since this is the first opponent who she realized that she could not defeat in normal means.

'Kyoshiro!!!'

"Hey toughie… why don't you try shaking hands with me?" Anya turned her sights to a frame that appeared behind her and right before she knew it, a propulsion grenade broke through her grip making her Knightmare recoil backwards.

"Is that…?" Tohdoh's eyes widened slightly at the red Knightmare. "Kouzuki?"

Eyes glistening like two red embers.

Armor red as blood

Wings that spread with pinkish light

And the silver clawed arm which its name was famed for.

"That's… the Devil's Right Hand!" Guilford recognized it easily for he had fought it before during the battle for Tokyo on the eve of the Black Rebellion. "The Guren!"

The mere mention of its name was enough to get Suzaku to draw his attention to her. "The Guren? Then it must be… Kallen?!"

"Sorry I'm late Chiba" the ace of the Black Knights smirked under her breath as flew to her partner's side. "I needed more time to finish my makeup. You still up for a fight?"

"S… Sergeant Major…"

"Leave the big guys to me. I'll support you from above"

"R… right! I'm on it!"

"That unit…" Gino noticed its strange winged shape engine on its back. "Do the Black Knights have FLOAT systems too?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Isn't that the Guren?" Nina took note of her secretary's gasp as the unit in question appeared on their main screen. The Duchess recognized it because she saw it a few times during the battle of Tokyo a year ago. "The Black Knights seemed to have developed a FLOAT unit that's compatible to their combat frames. Can you get a reading on that Knightmare?"

"Yes ma'am" the officer up at the helm nodded. "We've set up scanners around the area. Preparing for energy detail analysis"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seeing that the Guren was there and Chiba safe and sound, Tohdoh soon found himself to be in the way of the dangerous duo. He knew that as long as Kallen was there, she wouldn't let anything happen to her partner. She was fierce, which slightly reminded him of his own comrades back in the first war of Japan. "Chiba, it looks like you found yourself a good commander that looks out for you. Heh… my time here is over. The rest is up to you!" he quickly pulled the switch below his seat and ejected from the fight while Guilford was still distracted.

"Damn it!" the bespectacled knight cursed on his carelessness on letting an important enemy slip away. "Lord Gino, we'll follow Tohdoh's ejection pod"

"Right and we'll protect the ship from here. I've heard a lot about the Devil's Right Hand. Let's see if those rumors about it are true"

"Don't look down on me" Kouzuki grunted, not even caring about the small hail of gunfire coming from Guilford's men.

"Oh? So you've gained wings and a shield huh? So what!?"

"I don't have time for you!" she responded by firing her RWS from a distance, catching the former Knight of the Witch of Britannia off-guard.

Guilford flinched on his seat, eyes caught with surprise as he pulled the lever of his cockpit. "Tch! From long range!!!?" he ejected from his frame along with his remaining Glaston Knights.

"No one can beat the Zero squad……… no one…"

"Suzaku, you go get that Black Knight carrier. We'll handle this one" Gino signaled his partner while following Anya's movements.

"Don't let your guard down" the former Japanese warned, knowing full well what Kallen was capable of doing with that machine. "That's the pilot who defeated Lord Jeremiah…"

Gino smirked and quickly switched his Tristian back to its Jet Form. "The one who beat Orange Boy? Now that's more like it"

"Come on!"

The blonde Knight fired his Slash Harken onto the Guren and fired his turret machine gun following in volley. But to his amazement, the red Knightmare simply dodged them all using its advance speed and maneuverability to its limit. "Well would you look at that. As good as the Knights of the Round?"

"We'll see, right now…" Anya's voice called, readying her Stark Hadron Cannon and aiming it at the enemy frame.

But Kallen fought like a cornered fox. Dodging the beam and quickly following with a counterkick right on the Mordred's face. "Don't underestimate the Guren!"

"Tch… dirty shoes…"

"Chiba, I got these guys under control, you go on and take out the engines!"

"Already on it!" the samurai responded, her frame slowly rebooting from the crushing blow of the Mordred earlier. "I guess I'll have to rely on my own eyes for this fight" she quickly made her way towards the last FLOAT system on the main wing of the carrier.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

General Upson was definitely not a happy man at the time. After seeing all four FLOAT units destroyed, he knew that it was only a matter of time before they sink into the bottom of the ocean.

"Primary FLOAT unit damage!" the officer up front announced, his voice ringing with fear and panic. "Secondary FLOAT system destroyed! We lost contact with the engineering team on deck two. We can only assume they were caught up in the fire. There's no hope now, we're falling!"

"Engage emergency boosters! Re-stabilize the ship!"

"We can't! All engines are offline! Energy filler repository 1 and 2 are not responding! Number 3 was damaged by the attack and there's been no word from the security depot"

"Can we at least deploy the Knightmares!?" Upson asked, his face looked as if he was on the verge of having a heart attack.

"No good. The hanger bay doors aren't responding either. The Knightmares are all trapped inside they'll never make the crash!"

"GAHH!! Initiate emergency crash procedures! Even if we crash we'll at least save this ship! We'll regroup and repair once we clear the battlefield!"

"But my lord, we don't the time or manpower to commence such an operation. We'll be sinking at the bottom of the bay before we even get half of it done!"

"I gave you an order, soldier! I'm not going back to the homeland without some face left in me! Do your job even if it kills you!"

The officers in the room gasped in response. It was already clear that the General had lost his mind. He wasn't just ordering them to continue fighting… he was ordering them to die…

"That's it!" one of the officers upholstered his gun and aimed it at the commander. "He's lost his mind! I'm not staying here another minute! If we stay here, we're all gonna die!"

"That's insubordination! Security, kill this man!"

But the men around him simply had no idea what to do. So all in all, the high command soon themselves in a deadlock of their own command structure.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Damn it! I wasn't in time!" Suzaku utterly gritted his teeth as he saw the carrier slowly decrease its altitude to the surface. "Kallen… why would you come back? Why would you be fighting under these conditions? Could it be that…… she doesn't know that Lelouch is Zero?"

"Move it!!" Kallen then crashed in, with her gauntlet thrashing through the Lancelot's Blaze Luminous shield. "Now Suzaku… you'll pay for what you did, on the fields of Mt. Fuji!"

"No way…… it can't be more advance than Nina's Yggdrasil drive"

It wasn't long until Nina's face appeared on his monitor screen. "Suzaku, pull back for now. There's no more point in fighting, the carrier is going down"

"No. I can still save the ship from being destroyed. If we can save even at least one of the carriers from smashing against the ocean floor, we can still put this battle into a stalemate"

But Kallen wasn't going to allow him to do such a thing. "As if I'll let you do as you please! We both can fly now so let's see how you fair on an even fight!"

"Geh!" the two Knightmares traded blows with one another, one strike followed by a counter which pitched them evenly in the skies above the Pacific Ocean. The Lancelot danced around gracefully like a bird in mid-air whiles the Guren hunched around like a beast trying to tear its prey into pieces. Their style of fighting was very much different but they at least knew that they were equal in terms of skill.

"Suzaku, hold on!" Gino's voice called out catching Kallen's attention.

"I'll deal with you guys later!" using her RWS again, the ace of the Black Knights fired a large particle beam which fired out like a shotgun on a wide spread volley.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What!? It can fire wide range too!?" Nina's secretary gasped while the Duchess remained calm on her seat. It wasn't surprising. Seeing that the Radiant Wave Surger could fire at long range, firing a wide spread attack would also be in the calculations.

"What's its total energy output?" the glassed scientist asked.

"It uses the same amount of energy, but scattered" one of the assistants answered, his eyes shifting from one console to another, trying to get the numbers on paper. "Though it may not have done any severe damage to the frames themselves, it still caused a lot of internal damage like a small Electromagnetic Pulse Cannon used during the first war"

"That means that the units caught within the attack won't be able to move for awhile"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So… what's with that Knightmare?" Anya questioned, the noise of her cockpit ringing in her ears.

"Nah uh, it's all the pilot" Gino replied, his frame also in the same state of overheating. "I shouldn't have held back on my attack. She's something else I tell ya"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Suzaku!!"

"Kallen!!"

Again, the Guren smashed through the Lancelot's shield, giving the red Knightmare a lucky blow at the torso of the White Knight. Suzaku saw this and varied his own combat strength. He was glad that Nina installed those new armor plating or the RWS would've busted a hole in his cockpit three times already.

"You stubborn rodent! Take this" the red haired pilot opened the back of her FLOAT unit, firing a barrage of small orb like devices.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Have a taste of the Gefjun Net!" Rakshata said proudly as she saw her device outmatching the Britannian Knights.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But Suzaku stood his ground and readied his sword for battle. Not caring about the new weapon they had deployed against him. "That won't work against a seventh-generation Knightmare frame anymore. Nina already developed a countermeasure for this!"

"But you're still stuck where you are!" she fired her Slash Harken, ripping the Lancelot's head protector to pieces.

"Damn!" Suzaku pulled his gear together and twisted his Lancelot to avoid the next attack. "She's talented in aerial combat as well. You skills are unimaginable, Kallen. But still… you won't beat me!"

"That's what you think!" she aimed her RWS and fired it without a moment's thought. But Suzaku dodged it and countered with his blade.

"At this close range, you won't be able to hit me!"

"Oh I wasn't aiming for you…" Kallen grinned making the boy puzzled before he realized in horror that the beam he dodged hit the carrier's main bridge.

"No way…… she was aiming for the carrier this whole time!?"

Explosion after explosion followed afterwards, and right before anyone knew what was happening, the main carrier was engulfed in a sea of flames. Chiba witnessed it first hand since she was still on the carrier, making sure that nothing would be salvageable after the ship crashes into the ocean.

"That should do it" the young soldier nodded before stabbing her blade against the ship's hull, revealing the exposed energy filler supply depot. "Without these, those Knightmares will become useless on the battlefield"

"Chiba" Zero's voice sounded from her communication's array. "Well done on your part. Withdraw from that area quickly. We'll handle the rest from here"

"Understood. Ejecting now…"

With the aerial armada now obliterated from the skies, Suzaku groaned and bit his lip in anger. He has seen many of Zero's strategy before. Some of them even far beyond his own capacity of thinking…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero stood before his followers, hand waving in the air like some messiah delivering the word from heaven. "The aerial fleet is no more. This battle is now ours! Ohgi, destroy their naval force!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Understood! Ready torpedo bay one to six!" Ohgi acknowledged the command from Rakshata's personal underwater submarine. Though it may not be a combat ship its weapon arsenal was more than enough to take down the confused Britannian navy. "Load explosive canister. Set detonators for twenty second charge. Target the enemy transport ships"

"Torpedoes loaded. Timer set to twenty seconds!" the weapon officer up front announced.

"Fire at will!"

"Firing…"

The torpedoes hit their targets without flaw. It was no surprise, seeing that the battle mostly took above the ocean rather than beneath it.

Within minutes, the battlefield shifted and whatever was left of the Britannian force withdrew from neutral waters. The battle was over…… and the balance of power was about to be shifted in such a way that no one could possibly expect.


	20. If a Bullet won't Kill you Love will

**Chapter 20: If a Bullet won't Kill you. Love Will**

**(Horai Island) (The Black Empire)**

Large eruption of cheers and shouts rung around the small city island of the Black Capital city that evening when news hit of Britannia's complete defeat. Thanks to an operating channel of the Chinese Federation, the soldiers in Horai Island saw the whole scene like a movie show on display. Diethard himself made sure that he had access to the media force so he would be able to show everyone what was truly happening. As he watched the scene from the Spire of the island, he smiled evilly since he too was pleased with the result Zero gave.

The Britannian army was in chaos and even with the aid of their most fearsome warriors they were unable to turn the tide of the battle.

"Amazing…… simply amazing…" the media man grinned out the window, his mood calm and satisfied watching the Black Knights flocking over every TV, radio or boom-box they could find. "Facing an army twenty times his own, drawing the Spearhead of the Empire and the Knights of the Round into the battle and still he comes out victorious. Now I see why he wanted the Chinese media crew"

"Captain Diethard, sir" a young officer wearing a Black Knight outfit called to him, saluting at the same time. "Zero's ship has arrived and is requesting permission to dock"

"Good" he responded clearly with delight. Already the man was eager to know of the masked vigilante's next step to world domination. "Have the airfield clear and have the others escorted back as well. And have commander Ohgi back as well. He should be arriving at the port by now"

"Yes sir" the man saluted again before turning his ear to his earphones, relaying the orders given. Diethard smiled again but his attention was caught when another officer's footsteps came by his other side.

"Captain Diethard" the young volunteer officer who appeared to just be about high-school graduate saluted. "We're receiving a transmission from the E.U. representative corp. They want to speak with Master Zero"

"Already?" the intel commander chuckled. "That was quick. They must be having second thoughts about joining us"

"Should I relay them to the Ikaruga?"

"No, put them on hold for awhile and tell them to call tomorrow" he answered back. To think that he would actually put one of the great powerhouses of the world on hold was something he never he'd do, but hell it worked like a charm. "We have other things to do"

**(Horai Island airport) (Knightmare pilot's hanger)**

"Hmm…" Chiba turned her attention from her shoulder wound after hearing her commander sighing by the bench with a bottle of energy drink in her hand. They were in the locker room getting themselves changed after being treated by the medical staff upon their arrival. The second in command then noted that the fiery red head was starring off the window, overlooking the airstrip where Zero and the other officers were being greeted by a small platoon which was to escort them back to the spire.

"Is something wrong commander?" she asked finally out of curiosity, causing the captain to flinch slightly as if unaware of her presence. "You've been pretty quiet ever since we got back. I expected you to be excited after our victory"

"Oh…" the Ace of the Black Knights grumbled, her face expressing a sense of worry and strange doubt. "Sorry. I guess I'm not really in the best of moods. Even after that little victory, I still feel like we're far away from defeating Britannia"

"It's no surprise sir, since it is a country that governs almost half of the world"

"You know, you don't have to be like that, Chiba. (Hmm?)" Kallen gestured to the woman's stuck up manner. "Can't you talk to me in a more regular way like how other people do? I mean out of all the people, you kind of stand out with that tone and accent"

"But protocol says that soldiers should shape up when speaking to their superiors. Commander Tohdoh said…"

"Oh come on now" the girl patted her hand on the bench next to her, inviting her friend to join her. "You can talk like that to me when we're in briefing, but while we're alone, it's alright to cut loose. You don't see me talking like you with Ohgi and the others"

"Well…… I'm not sure if that's proper. Besides… I don't really know how to…"

"Oh I know!" Kallen beamed up as an idea popped in her head. "Why don't you and I hang out tomorrow afternoon? I heard from one of the boatmen that there's a great restaurant on the coastal village near Horai"

"Is that allowed?" the former member of the Four Holy Sword raised a brow in question. "I thought no one was allowed to leave the island until restoration of the city was complete"

"Don't worry about it" the red head assured her. "I can just tell the guards by the docks that we're on official Black Knight business. I can even ask one of the mechanics to give us one of their unarmed transports"

"Isn't that abusing your power?"

"Oh come on, it'll be fun. Pretty please?"

Chiba recoiled slightly at her commander's puppy dog pout and soon found herself stumbling on her own locker. In her time in service under Colonel Tohdoh, she has always been professional about her work as a soldier so she had no idea how to react to such strange behavior.

"V… very well. I guess it couldn't hurt"

"Alright! It's a plan!" Kallen cheered, her hand waving in the air like a girl who got her favorite birthday gift.

**(Pendragon-Britannia) (Ashford University) (Student Council building) (The next day)**

Milly hummed to herself peacefully that morning as she waved her legs freely by the window overlooking the Lamperouge recreational area. She humored herself to that name since she remembered how her mother hated that place. But as much as Mrs. Ashford tried to despise that area, she couldn't deny the fact that, the campus where Lelouch managed was the only thing making any profit for their family. Not only did it serve as Lelouch's personal playground, it also served as the school's main attraction.

Students would often use the empty but well-maintained buildings as their clubhouses and people from outside the campus made it a daily habit to come and visit the stops in the area.

"Madam President!" the blonde Ashford flinched by the voice of her self-proclaimed secretary. "How long are you going to sit there starring aimlessly? We've got tons of work to do and we've got to finalize the budget for the Freshmen field trip"

"Oh come on now Shirley" Milly cooed back innocently with one leg up dangling in the air. "Why such rush? It's not like we have to finish them today. It's an unofficial day off after all"

"Yeah, thanks to that incident at Pacific yesterday" Rivalz added remembering how the TV feed on the battle was cut off. He even had some popcorn made for that occasion. "Ever since the news on General Upson's assassination, the whole city's been given a two day mourning session. The whole attack was called off ever since. Not only that, but since all classes were stopped, we've been getting more work as it is with all the clubs planning the big Christmas Party" he lowered his head to the table with a sigh. "I don't know about you guys, but I think Zero has it out to torture me"

"Oh come on now Rivalz, don't be such a lazy cat" Shirley commented which surprisingly made Arthur purred strangely at her. "Take Lulu for example. He's already finished his batch of work and he's even helping half of your work load"

"I don't mind really" the fake Lelouch replied holding his pen with an unfamiliar smile. "It actually keeps my mind occupied at least. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can enjoy the two days holiday we've been given"

"I guess that's something we can all look forward to" Rivalz groaned out of sheer boredom. "By the way, where's Rolo? He should be helping us out too you know"

"He's on an errand at the moment" Lelouch responded, his eyes darting towards the clock for a moment before returning to his workload. "He said he won't be back until later tonight"

"Ohhh…… I wonder if he got himself a date" Milly teased which again made the group sigh. She always had a knack for killing bad moods out of the room she also had a knack for changing the subject without anyone noticing.

"Please madam president. We all know that Rolo doesn't go out looking for girls in random places" the orangette reasoned with a post irritating grunt at the end. "Besides, if he was seeing someone, Lulu would be the first person to know about it"

"It'll be a nice change if he actually went out for a date. At least then I wouldn't think he would swing for the other team and look at men at the gym all day like Jill"

"MADAM PRESIDENT!" Shirley turned to a shade of pink which only seemed to match closely to her hair.

"Oh relax, it was only a joke. (It wasn't funny!) Hahaha. You're so cute when you blush like that" she laughed off at the flustered member of the student council before turning towards the door where one of Lelouch's personal maids came running through.

"Forgive the intrusion my lord" she bowed shallowly to Lelouch. "But you have a private phone call waiting for you at your room"

The boy sighed. It was probably one of his investments trying to call up for extra funding. It was a usual habit since he owned a lot of properties during the last few months. "Alright. Rivalz, you handle the rest. I'll be back later Milly"

Rivalz watched Lelouch leave the room, a smirk on his face a bit envious of the power his friend holds. Ever since Lelouch became a noble he's practically made the whole school his playground and made a little paradise on earth just for him and his friends. But what he envied the most were his servants.

Even with a just a quick walk on his private dormitory, any male student would be ogling over the beautiful maids the young prince had surrounded himself with. They were like eye candies for all to see. Heck, Rivalz even wondered if Lelouch had even slept with any of them yet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

No matter how many times she sees it, Sayoko would never be able to get used to coming into Lelouch's personal room. To the naked eye of a normal student it would look like a regular room with nothing of interest. But thanks to her unique abilities as a trained ninja, Sayoko could tell just about half of the secrets in this place. It was a panic room in disguise that alone she'll admit.

One of the obvious things that were not present there was a window. The main entrance to the room was secured with bulkhead locks which made it strong enough to last a battering ram for about an hour. This of course would give the dark prince to use the emergency escape tunnel hidden under his bed.

Even the phone line in the room was not connected to the public force. If someone wanted to cut that phone off he would have to jam all the phones in the school to do it.

The most dangerous object that Sayoko found of course was the innocently normal looking desk that Lelouch studies on. It had a switch at the end of the back which would reveal his private laptop from the cupboards. The laptop itself contained some of his private contacts and deadly connections around Britannia and some of the wires hidden inside the desk were connected to the Ashford University mainframe which gave him absolute power over the school's facilities and power supply.

If he wanted to, Lelouch could easily set the school generators to overload the circuits burning the whole place down to the ground.

Once the kunoichi made sure that the door behind her was locked she answered the phone with her changed voice. "Hello? Lelouch Lamperouge speaking"

"Um… Mr. Lamperouge?" Sayoko's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when the voice on the other line replied. She had heard it before back during the Britannian occupation of Japan. "Sorry to bother you. I didn't know if this was the right number to call"

"_That voice……"_ the maid in disguise calmed herself down trying not to break the act. _"It… it can't be…"_

"I know this is unusual for a member of the royal family to call, but I needed to make this arrangement a secret from the public"

"Member of the royal family?" the false prince kept his cool, breathing deeply before exhaling. "I'm sorry but who exactly am I speaking with?"

"Oh that's right. My name is…… Nunnally"

"Princess!?"

"Yes. We met during my welcoming party at Pendragon Palace a few days ago. Please forgive this sudden call" the young princess apologized solemnly, her phones holding onto the phone as if wanting to hold the hands of the receiver on the other side. "But I wanted to talk to you if that's ok"

"N… no of course not. It's an honor for me to actually speak her royal highness personally on the phone. To what do I owe of this call?"

"Well I…… I was hoping to make a small arrangement this weekend…"

**(Horai Island) (Zero's quarters)**

Jeremiah tinkered with the room that Zero was granted in the Spire with a sign of approval on his face. The room itself was probably the most secure out of all the places in Horai Island. The room was probably about the size of his office back during his time in the government bureau in the Tokyo Settlement. There was a sofa positioned in front of the television, a large bed for three, an office table with a computer and a fridge for some drinks and snacks to be kept in. It was probably a bachelor's dream apartment.

The green haired knight sighed when he saw the cheesy pluffy doll on the bed along with a pair of long white socks and shirt. Obviously they belonged to the witch that Lelouch had been keeping around. He made a mental note to ask his prince later on how he was able to get such a woman on his side. For all he knew, C2 wasn't exactly your usual woman. Sure she had some good traits but her personality is what bothered him the most.

She was shameless, that much was for certain. Lazy, arrogant, snobby and impossible to understand. And to leave her clothes on the Prince's bed like some laundry bag was clearly unacceptable.

The man's thoughts were silenced quickly when he realized the door suddenly opening.

"Your majesty" the former margrave bowed, greeting the masked prince as he entered. "I trust the meeting with the E.U. went well"

"Yes. They promised their support" the masked vigilante replied humorously as if their help meant little to him. "However, a small portion of their aid will do little against Britannia. We will need more if we are to topple my father and his rule"

"But the Black Knights popularity has surely risen after that fight in the Pacific"

"Indeed it has" Zero held out a small stack of papers from his cape and placed it on his working desk before removing his helmet. "Even at this moment, exiled regimes from Britannia and resistance troops from conquered countries are coordinating with our intelligence officers. When I give the signal, I can simultaneously strike at anywhere at any time, leaving the Britannians almost helpless"

"And what of the Chinese Federation?"

"That matter is being dealt with at the moment. Now that the High Eunuchs have recognized our strength they won't pull that kind of stunt ever again without my consent"

"Should we arrange a meeting with them?" Jeremiah recommended, thinking that the faster Lelouch had them in his Geass the easier things will be for them and the Black Knights. "If we brought the Eunuchs under our control, the Chinese Federation can dissolve"

"They're proving themselves useful for the moment" Lelouch replied, throwing his mask onto the table before darting his eyes towards his private computer. "As long as the Chinese Federation exists, Britannia cannot attack us. For now, we should look to strengthening ourselves and secure support from the other neutral countries. Hmm?" he stopped his conversation when he noted a mail in his inbox list. "A message from Elie?"

"Is something wrong my Prince?"

"I sent Elie to do some digging in the Chinese Federation" he explained. "While the new weapons are still in their experimental stages he has been gathering intel on the government's ploy. Hmm…… most interesting. I'll have to review this later. By the way, where's C2? I thought she'd be here"

The green haired knight shrugged his shoulder in question signaling that he also did not know where the immortal witch went. And of course, that could only mean trouble for the Black Knights.

**(Civilian highway near Horai Island)**

Kallen was never one who thought to take on a vacation, but she'd probably consider this trip an exception. Ohgi had always asked the girl to take a break once in awhile back during their time in Tokyo but she never got around to do it since she considered her work more important than her social life.

She was driving along the highway with her partner Chiba on a cruise to tour the countryside. The former member of the Four Holy Swords was ashamed to lie to the guards back on the island. She told them that they were on a mission to the country so they acquired themselves a rather dashing sports car to travel around with.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" she asked, signs of worries written all over her face. "I mean if any members of the Black Knights find out about this we'll be in real trouble"

"Oh relax Chiba" her superior officer waved it off. "I'm sure they won't even notice. I don't report back to them for another few hours or so. Besides, it's rather nice to sit back and relax once in awhile. And getting out of those jumpsuits is a good change"

"Another thing too…" Chiba motioned to her outfit. "Why did we have to change into these outfits? If we were going to lie to the guards the least we could do is wear our military uniforms"

"Because!" Kallen exclaimed. "We're on vacation. If we wear that outfit in the countryside what do you think people will ask about? We have to look the part on being tourists. And look at you… all dressed up like you're on a date"

The soldier turned a slight shade of pink as she looked at herself in the side mirror. She felt ridiculous in those clothing. During her time in the JLF and Black Knights she had always worn a military standard outfit and rarely left the base for any social matters at all. Being a regular girl in the city was uncomfortable. Wearing those long skirts made her legs feel vulnerable and the lack of protective padding on her chest and shoulder made her skeptical and rather… half naked.

"I still think that we should've at least asked permission from one of the officers in charge"

"Oh yeah you're right" Kallen agreed somewhat. "You could probably wear that and asked Tohdoh to join us"

The woman flushed red as an open melon as Kallen mentioned her former commander. "W… what are you saying!?"

"Oh come on, there's no need to hide it" the red head teased. "I saw you giving him that look when he passed us by earlier in the hanger"

"There's nothing wrong with paying respect to a commander"

"Yeah I get ya" Kallen motioned herself before spinning the wheel to overtake a slow pickup in the highway. "So where should we go first? A trip to the beach? A little sauna time or do you want to try some of those gourmets I saw on the flier?"

"I'd rather be back at the base practicing on the new Knightmares Rakshata made for us" Chiba recalled seeing several models of the new frames that came up earlier during the debriefing. She remembered that they were designed by Ms. Chawla but they were built secretly in India for their support.

"Don't be like that. Have a little fun time isn't something illegal"

"Why don't we try that pizza place by the U-turn?" C2 pointed. "I'm hungry…"

"That's more like it, a little snack before the… huh…?"

"BWAHH!! C2!?"

"What the hell are you doing back there!?"

"I entered the car when it was being lowered to the freighter" she answered in her usual monotone voice. "Don't make a big fuss about it"

"Well I am making a fuss about it! You appeared out of nowhere like a ghost scarring the crap out of me and then…"

"Look ahead…"

"Huh? GAH!!" Kallen spun the wheel quickly again, avoiding the flatbed truck slowing down by the turn.

"Major, please watch the road!" Chiba barked out, also completely surprised that she wasn't able to detect the green haired witch entering their vehicle.

"Dammit!" the ace of the Black Knights cursed. "That was too close…"

"Oh… we missed the pizza place" C2 waved disappointingly at the store as it passed by her window. "You can still pull over the next U-turn"

"We're not going for pizza!"

"What a cold hearted woman you are"

"WHAT!?

"Gahh! Major, please keep your hands on the wheel!"

The red head quickly backed herself down to the road as she slowed down the speed of the vehicle. They were lucky the law enforcements were absent in these parts or else they would've been arrested already.

"Be careful now or you're going to get yourselves killed" C2 gestured poorly in a mockery of a worried sentence. But Kallen obviously didn't buy it. She had a similar experience back in the Tokyo Settlement when the Black Knights were still just a resistance force consisting mostly of Japanese fighters and Britannian anti-government fanatics.

"Grr… just wait till I get myself a gun, I'll kill you myself"

"Will that even work, I wonder"

"Huh?" Chiba raised a brow, questioning that sentence. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing" was the witch's answer. "Anyway, this is a rare opportunity. Why don't us 'girls' have a little night out together? It'll be a nice change of scenery"

"We're not sightseeing" Kallen growled back at her, eyes already twitching with irritation. "We're dropping you on the next station and you can take the bus back to the island"

"Oh really? From the sound of your previous conversation, you pretty much abused your powers as high members of the Order"

"Geh…!" Kallen gritted her teeth loudly while her partner placed her palm over her face in disgrace. The day was going so well and she had to butt in.

"I wonder what Zero would say about this kind of act" it was already obvious that C2 was blackmailing them with her teasing words.

"F… fine, what do you want?"

"A little fun" the sly shameless woman replied smiling evilly at them. "Since you guys are already out, I may as well cut in on the deal. A little shopping and something to eat would be a good start"

Kallen resisted the urge to knock herself cold on the steering wheel. Just listening to that girl irritated her. "Fine, but we're not going for pizza"

"That's fine with me. A little change would be nice. You can be my personal chauffer for the day"

"Why you…!" Kallen's temper broke and immediately she began throwing slaps and pinches at the woman behind, but C2 simply blocked them using her new purple hat Cheese Plushy.

"Major!!" Chiba who was already having a bad day listening to them quickly grabbed the wheel from her side of the car and steered it away from all the oncoming cars. There were angry cries and shouts and a lot of horns being honked followed after. "Sorry!" she apologized to them even with her eyes kept on the road. "Major, please come back, I can't drive with you pressing the throttle all the… beh!?" she was silenced quickly when Kallen's foot pressed against her cheek. "Major!"

"Should you really be acting like a child?" C2 asked, slightly amazed on the speed and strength that Kallen was putting on her poor plushy.

"Get that doll away and I'll show you who's a child!"

"What a violent woman you are. The reason why Zero is interested in you escapes me"

"Huh?" the sudden change in subject made Kallen lose her balance on her punches and quickly she slipped back to her chair causing the whole car to spin wildly. "WAhhh!!"

Even Chiba too couldn't hold the wheel for long. "Major, the wheel!"

Kallen pulled herself back and quickly got the car back on the road, driving it slowly and carefully on the right lane. They drove for another minute or so before finally coming to a stop at a small pavilion overlooking the ocean.

"Haaaa…" the two members of the Zero Squad sighed together in relief.

"Hey" C2 teased annoyingly at them. "Keep your eyes on the road next time"

"It's your fault for saying things like that!"

"It's your hot temper that will get us killed one day"

"Tch!" Kallen bit her lips together before slowly stepping on the peddle continuing their trip to the small town.

Chiba was glad that their fight was over but she was still worried about the tension brewing between the two of them. She never really had any interaction with C2 since they were never assigned to one another. In fact, it doesn't seem like anyone had talked to her before. She rarely comes out of Zero's room and the only people she ever talked to was Sugiyama, but that's mostly because he's the only one who can make her pizza.

The trip to the town was quiet and Chiba hoped that it would remain like that until they get back to Horai Island. But alas that hope was dashed when C2 opened her mouth again.

"So? Aren't you going to ask me?"

Kallen's eyes glanced over the rearview mirror. "Hmm?"

"Aren't you going to ask me about Zero? I can see it in both of you. You two are curious about the Zero you now serve" she read their minds like a professional psychic. Unlike most of the Black Knights who were already gutted in by their fanatical ideals of the man behind the mask, only few of the original members remained somewhat unconvinced.

"Why would we want to ask that?"

"Oh please, just admit it. You don't believe that the Zero now is the same as the one who got burned near Mt. Fuji. You're obviously curious about it so let's just be open about ourselves. It's not like there's anyone here to judge you"

"Tch… witch…"

C2 grew a smile as she continued to tease the little red head while on the road. They had a similar conversation like this before but this was more hostile than usual.

"And what of you?" the witch turned her attention to the passenger seat. "What are your thoughts about Zero?"

"Me?" the soldier recoiled a bit while scrambling for words. "Well, I don't really have an answer for that. I just follow what the major does"

"Such silly excuses. It's a wonder why Zero even bothers with people like you"

"If we're annoying then you're the pest…" Kallen growled again.

"Just keep your eyes on the road, hanky thief (Geh!)"

"Hanky thief?"

Kallen flushed in embarrassment again remembering the object that she had liberally took from Zero's possession. "It's nothing! It's just something that happened a long time ago!"

C2 enjoyed playing with her mind and being such a manipulative talker made it all the more easier to embarrass the girl. But she soon got bored of such petty talks and soon laid back down before until they reach their destination.

"He's the same" she said suddenly which caused both the girls to look back at her. "The Zero now… is the same person. I assure you"

"And we're supposed to take your word for it?"

"Take it or don't, it doesn't matter to me" she muttered clearly unafraid to taunt the red head. "Why don't you go ask him yourself?"

"Like anyone can do that?"

"Are you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid!" Kallen barked back.

"What if he says yes? Would you believe him?"

"Geh…" Chiba heard her commander stutter. She even noticed that the red head was gripping tightly on the wheel like she wanted to pull it out and whack it on the immortal witch.

"Why don't you try something only you and he would know?" C2 recommended. "Something private… that not even I would know"

"What's the point of all this?" Kallen asked finally irritated by the girl's continued barrage of questions and challenges. "Like it's any of your business to meddle into my affairs"

"I'm not doing this to tease you for entertainment" the green haired witch admitted. "I'm doing this because you and your partner are a valued combatant. (Huh?)" a look of confusion came out of their faces. "Come on. Even Zero already noticed it. (………) You doubt him. It made you hesitate during the battle over the Pacific. If you're being distracted by another thought then it's clear that you should settle it"

"Are you saying I'm a hindrance?"

"I'm only saying that you should clear your thoughts now before it kills you"

Chiba did not like where the conversation was going but she had to forcefully agree with C2 at this point. She knew Kallen as a true soldier of the Black Knights and saw her triumph over impossible odds in Knightmare simulation. But lately she's been getting slower, more hesitant. It takes her awhile to pull the trigger and her reaction time went down on a small scale.

It didn't affect the mission obviously but who was to say that it wouldn't get her killed in the next mission?

Even now, Kallen had a look of agreement to the girl's voice. "I… I guess…"

"Major…"

"By the way, you owe me a new Cheese Plushy" C2 gestured to her 2nd favorite pillow. "Now turn this car around so we can get another one by that Pizza store"

Needless to say, Chiba would be growing wrinkles knowing well that these two girls would be clawing each other's cheeks out for the rest of the day.

**(Britannia) (Ashford University) (Student council building)**

Shirley hummed to herself peacefully that evening in the student council building while arranging all the report cards into a single folder, their names in alphabetical order. It was the weekends but she still remained the vigilant student helping out in school.

"Alright, just two more and I'm all done" she stated to Arthur, the Student Council cat mascot who yawned back at her boringly. "Oh come on Arthur. You're getting just as lazy as Lulu, yawning like that while other people work. The least you could do is stay awake with me"

The black eyed cat yawned again and licked its paws before snuggling itself into a comfortable position to take a nap. "Well thanks for keeping me company" she said sarcastically.

"Ms. Fenette?" the orangette whipped her head around to the maid who had been standing by the window. "Would you like something to eat? I can go by the district and get something from the café if you like"

"Oh no that's ok" she waved off in response. "The state swimming triathlon is coming up next week so I should really stay away from the sweets. Besides, my mom would kill me if I spent my monthly allowance on food"

"On the contraire Ms. Fenette. Since you're a member of the student council, all service charges there are free. Master Lelouch gave explicit instructions that we are not to charge any member of the council"

"L… Lulu?"

"If you'd like I can bring some apple pies from the cafeteria" the maid offered smiling kindly as ever despite the fact that she was a Number under Britannian rule. "The Farm Club said that their batch of apples were the best ones this year"

"Umm…" Shirley debated to herself for a moment. "Well I guess a little snack would help keep me up. If Lulu's providing then I guess I shouldn't refuse it"

Shortly after the maid left to get the said treat from the food court, Milly came by noticing the orangette on the table firstly. "Oh hey there Shirley"

"Madam President? What are you doing here? I thought you were going out this weekend"

"I was but I decided to postpone for next week. I was actually looking for Lelouch but I couldn't find him in his apartment so thought that he might be here"

"What? Lulu?" Shirley raised a brow. "He left for Hollington for the weekend with Rolo yesterday"

"Well that's odd. He rarely goes home at all for the weekends. Usually he'd be out playing with the Equestrian Club or hanging around in the school garden"

"He did say that he had some business to attend to back" Shirley added remembering what her long time crush had said. "Something about meeting with some farmers. Why? Did something come up?"

"I wanted to ask him about something" Milly sighed. "But I guess it'll have to wait. By the way Shirley, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be out shopping with Sophie and the others"

"Jessie got the flu so we don't have anyone to drive us there" the champion of the Swimming club groaned. "Besides, I don't really mind. It gives me plenty of time to finally sort out these paperwork"

"You're so diligent" the blonde Ashford teased. "But you…… working like that on a weekend kind of makes you look like a lonely hermit"

"And what's that supposed to mean!?"

"Oh nothing. Just thinking out loud" she chuckled before taking out a photo from her pocket.

"Oh hey. Is that…… Lulu?" Shirley noted the boy in the photo who appeared to have ice cream on his cheeks.

"Yeah…" Milly replied smiling contently at it. "Remember I told you that Lelouch and I were childhood friends. My dad took this picture when we went out. Doesn't he look adorable?"

"Hehe… he really does" Shirley paused for a moment admiring the childish picture before realizing a little detail of the situation. "Hey wait a second………… madam President… are you also…?"

**(Hollington) (Lamperouge Estate garden)**

Sayoko's mind was scrambling at that moment in the garden of the estate. She was ordered to stay as a stand in for Lelouch but the last thing she expected was Nunnally coming to the estate. There was no way she could refuse a visit from a member of the royal family. Any noble with a sense of pride would take this as a golden opportunity to get some influence to the emperor hell, Sayoko wouldn't be surprised if the noble house would even introduce some of their children to the family member in hopes of becoming a part of Britannian Imperial Nobility.

"Would you like more tea your highness?" the ninja in disguise was brought out of her daze when one of the maids approached them. She, Nunnally and Prince Odysseus were sitting in the garden grounds, over by the table where they overlooked the large swimming pool at the center of the estate.

Odysseus happily gave out a positive response looking not at all concerned at the servants around them being former Numbers bought from the Slave Trade. "This tea is astounding" he exclaimed. "I've heard from Schneizel that foreign tea was good but surely his words give the brewer no credit at all"

"I'm glad you like it" Sayoko smiled forcing herself to join in the conversation even though she doesn't know what to talk about. As far as the information Rolo gave, Lelouch Lamperouge has no care for the royal family and has no idea why Princess Nunnally arranged this meeting. "We actually grow them on a small island near Hollington. I made requisition of the soil there to accommodate plants from other regions"

"I see" the 1st prince smiled, again taking a sip of his tea cup. "And also this villa. You've certainly made quite a home for yourself, Master Lelouch"

"You're too kind. I merely expanded the region and increase its productivity. It's the people that deserve most of the credit"

"Such humility. It's good to see such young nobles taking initiative to improve our country rather than relying on resources outside of the empire itself" Odysseus gave out a soft laugh again feeling slightly awkward seeing that he was the only one who was talking for the last ten minutes.

The two of them paused and looked around the place for a moment trying to think of what to do or what to say. Ever since their unexpected arrival at the Hollington Estate things have been quite peaceful at best. Nunnally made some request to keep this meeting a secret which Sayoko agreed. If the visit was made public there was no doubt that the emperor would get suspicious of the OSI's activity.

Rolo ordered that a private limo picked the two member of the royal family and brought them here unannounced. Nearly half of the servants in the villa were given leave for the rest of the day, the less people that knew about the Prince and Princess's arrival the better. The guards that were present now were the OSI agents in disguise.

"Nunnally, don't be quiet there, please do say something" the brunette princess startled from her teacup a bit embarrassed on her situation. Odysseus sighed at this and turned his attention back to the Baron. "You'll have to forgive us. Making such a visit on such short notice must be pretty stressing"

"N… no, not at all" Sayoko replied a bit baffled. "I just didn't expect to have the member of the Royal Family visit a lowly Baron such as myself. I'm still having a hard time believing it"

"I thought it would be good for Nunnally to take a little vacation after all that work she'd been through" said the prince, placing his tea cup on the table and then wiping his mouth as if in rhythmic motion. It was no surprise since the man had been taught etiquette ever since he was ten years old. This kind of life style was pretty much an hourly routine for him. "Ever since the General Upson's assassination and the fall of the Pacific fleet, casualties have been pouring in. We were quite lucky to have the hospitals accommodate the injured but out our budget funding have been stretched too much"

"I see…" Sayoko responded looking slightly baffled. "I've never really been interested in the war with the Black Knights, but the last I've heard that Zero himself won the battle over the Pacific"

"It's probably just wild propaganda. I wouldn't really pay much attention to it"

The First Prince's laugh came to short closure when he noticed one of his guards approach him. "Forgive the intrusion Prince Odysseus" he bowed. "But you have a phone call from the Prime minister on your private channel"

"Schneizel?" Odysseus raised a brow. "Now that's odd. Did he say what it was for?"

"No sir, but he said that it your highness should respond as quickly as possible"

"I guess it can't be helped" it wasn't rare for the first prince of Britannia to sigh. As indecisive as was his nature he could never get used to deciding the big things in life. "Pardon me Nunnally, Master Lelouch"

When Odysseus was finally out of sight, the two supposed siblings soon found themselves in a rather awkward silence. Sayoko was able to keep the regular act up by conversing with the Prince but Nunnally however remained silent ever since she arrived at the gates of the estate.

"I'm sorry…" the maid in disguise nearly flipped her cup and draw out her kunai when she heard the princess spoke. "I don't know what came over me. I mean… I was the one who made arrangements for this meeting and put you all that hard work for nothing"

"O… oh please don't apologize your highness" Sayoko waved out frantically pouring herself another cup of tea to replace the one she one she spilled by the floor. "It's already an honor for me just to be speaking with the royal family. I'm actually overjoyed. I didn't think that you would remember me from the welcoming party"

"But you're a good friend of Suzaku, aren't you?"

"Yes, but that was long ago. We haven't seen each other much lately"

"You're so lucky" Sayoko was glad to see the princess smile for once. It was practically a battle just talking to her without breaking her act. "My brother was also a good friend of Suzaku. I didn't know he would have another friend all the way here in Britannia"

"Yes. It's also nice to be friends with a Knight of the Round. It only proves that he's moving up in the world"

Nunnally nodded in agreement. Pausing only to take another sip of her cup. "You know. Big brother Odysseus told me before we arrived here: That there are no two people alike in this world. (Oh?) Yes. He said that even though we look alike, it never means that we are alike. Our way of living and the people we know change everyday"

"I see…" the false prince smirked. "That sounds very wise of him"

"Yes. You see… when we first met at the welcoming party a few weeks ago, I really had a feeling that you were my brother. You sound just like him and feel just like him" the blind princess gave out a sad smile as of recalling that moment. "But I guess it was just the spur of the moment. Now that we get to meet in person I can tell that you and my brother are totally different people. (Hmm…) In fact, you remind of another person who I met back in Area 11, I mean… Japan"

"Really?"

"Yes. You see. Back when Lelouch and I were in Japan, he hired a maid to look after us. Her name was Sayoko I believe"

"Huh?" the eyes of the said ninja widened slightly in recalling of her name.

"She was very kind and gentle and she taught all me all sorts of neat things like origami and pinky promise"

"_Lady Nunnally…… you still remember me…"_ Sayoko flashed a smile. To think that a nobleman like Nunnally would actually remember something so trivial. "Origami? Isn't that the Japanese technique of folding papers into different shapes like a crane or a cat?"

"You know of it!?" Nunnally yelped with amazement and excitement.

"I learned it from a book I bought back in town. If you want, I can show a few of them"

"I would really like that"

Sayoko nodded and quickly folded one of the prepared napkins with great haste and skill. With a blink of an eye she created an artful masterpiece with tools easily found in restaurants. "Here, for you, Princess Nunnally" she bowed gracefully on one knee as if presenting a gift to the lady.

Nunnally reached out for the object getting the slight feel of the shape and corners layout. "Is…… is that a rose?"

"Correct" the charming maid confirmed proudly. "They say that a winter rose in midst of snow is the most beautiful of all flowers. And I must say that they are correct, because I am now kneeling in the presence of one"

The princess in the gesture blushed; her face reddened only 2nd to that of the roses in the garden. "My…… thank you… Lelouch…" she kept the mockery of a flower in her hand and cared for it like it was the most precious thing in the world.

"It was nothing" Sayoko returned to her seat. "Perhaps later you can show me some techniques as well"

"Yes, I'd like that a lot" Nunnally laughed silently to before drinking from her teacup only to realize it was now empty. "Oh…"

"It looks like we lost track of our food" Sayoko motioned to the several empty plates on the table before gesturing to the servants to bring more along the way. "Now, your highness. Please, tell me more about this maid you were speaking of earlier"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Ms. Sayoko was her name. She was a really kind lady. But even though she was gentle, I kind of felt like she had a strong side in her like a side that you would get from knights"

"_You don't know the half of it Ms. Nunnally…"_ Sayoko chuckled to herself while continuing to listen the constant praise she was getting.

"And also, I think she had a crush on my big brother"

"W… what?!" the ninja maid nearly fell off her chair when she heard that.

"Yes. Even though she doesn't show it, I think she had a slight charm for Lelouch" Nunnally continued, oblivious to the irked face that Sayoko was giving. "I could tell because of the way she talked to him. Whenever my brother calls her she usually has this strange jumpy sense in her. Like a fluttering of the stomach I think"

"R… really now?" Sayoko was glad that she was wearing that face mask or everyone would see how red her face has become. She fondled her finger together trying everything to get her mind off the topic as she turned into a chibi form of herself.

"Yes and now that I think of it…… I wonder if either of them went out with one another?"

"NO!"

"Huh?" the princess recoiled from the sudden outburst. Sayoko was deep red, her hands slammed on the table as if denying accusation from the judge in court.

"I… I mean… that's uh… impossible. I mean, I thought that P… Prince Lelouch would be a more a… subtle person and ah…" Her useless stutter happily came to an end when she noticed Prince Odysseus returning to the garden. "Oh, your highness. Welcome back"

"Yes, sorry about that" the maid quickly noted the change in his voice. It seemed as if the call with the Prime Minister had some effects to him. When he approached the table he let out another painful sigh. "Forgive for doing this on such a short notice, but I have to leave now"

"Leave?" Nunnally quoted. "Are you heading back to the capital?"

"I'm afraid not. I've been asked by brother Schneizel to come to the Chinese Federation on the next flight immediately"

"The Chinese Federation? But why?"

"It seems that he's has managed to settle a peaceful treaty with the empress of the Federation" he smiled weakly at them. "I'm getting married next week…"


	21. The Swan's Wedding

**Chapter 21: Little Swan Wedding**

**(Horai Island) (Ikaruga)**

Zero contemplated on his head groaning at the irritating news that had been brought upon him. It started about a few minutes ago after Horai Island finally came to operational levels did he receive the news to come to the Ikaruga, the Black Knight's flagship.

On the main monitor screen, Lady Kaguya Sumeragi remained in contact. Even though she was the prime minister of Japan she still had a way to aid Zero by passing political information.

"A political marriage? Now?" Zero irked.

"Yes. I received an invitation to the wedding by the Sumeragi conglomerate in Luoyang" Kaguya replied on screen. "The bride is the empress, Jian Lihua, or Tianzi as they call her, the icon of the federation"

"And the groom is the first to be the prince of Britannia"

"The one they call Odysseus" Rakshata finished.

"It's obvious they want to sell us out to the Britannians" Zero gritted. "When will the wedding start?"

"In about two days"

"Just enough time to organize a strike" Zero finished. "Assemble what forces we have. We're going to make the first blow to the Federation"

"What?" Tohdoh gasped. "Are you saying you're going to fight both the Britannian Empire and the Federation as well?"

"We'll be outnumbered by thousands of Knightmares!" Urabe added knowing well the numbers of enemy troops and machines they had.

"Don't worry" Zero reassured them. "Direct contact isn't exactly my forte as well. Besides, if we do nothing, then Britannia will take over Japan without a fight. (Huh?) Don't you recall? Japan is now officially a part of the Chinese Federation. By solidifying this marriage, the territories under the Federation will immediately be absorbed by the royal family. Japan will again be turned into a remote colony"

"Damn those Britannians!" Tamaki cursed. "They're slickier than a snake! We should do something"

"Exactly" Zero motioned. "Lady Kaguya. I believe as a guest, you are entitled to an escort, am I correct? (Yes) Well then. Will you grant me the honor of accompanying you to the wedding party?"

Kaguya beamed. "Of course! Master Zero that would be wonderful! I have no objections whatsoever! Will you come and pick me up or shall I send a plane over?"

"I'll come to you personally. Besides… I owe you for not being able to attend the empress's birthday party"

The prime minister squealed with delight. "I'll be waiting!"

When the transmission was cut, Kallen couldn't help but register a silent groan to herself. Zero was really becoming a womanizer and it looked like she was not getting in on the action.

"Kallen…" the Gurren pilot jumped up at attention. "The Zero squad will also be accompanying me to the ceremony. Have your Knightmares prepared by then"

"Y… yes of course Zero"

"The rest of the intelligence force will enter the wedding posing as chauffer and guests. As for the matter of insertion… well…"

**(Hanger bay)**

The original members of the Black Knights gawk in awe when they entered the hanger that afternoon. What laid before them wasn't a powerful Knightmare. It wasn't some kind of super weapon to bring down Britannia. But instead they found themselves a rather familiar two story vehicle that was the symbol of their first hideout.

"No way!" Inoue let out a joyful whisper. "Isn't that our…"

"It's our first base!" Sugiyama followed afterwards running towards the vehicle with a wide smile. "I don't believe it! It's the real deal!"

"Hey check it out!" Tamaki pointed at the carved paintjob. "I remember making this mark back Tokyo! This really is the same old hideout we used back then!"

"But how? I thought this thing was destroyed during the Black Rebellion! It was like a second home to us!"

"I was able to smuggle it out of the country when we first moved here" Diethard explained. "I thought that it had some significance to the organization so I decided to keep it as a small memorial"

"Diethard…" Zero chuckled. "Don't tell me you're getting sentimental"

"Of course not. I'm merely trying to preserve what the Black Knights had before we became this powerful"

"I'll take your word for it" Zero let out. "Anyway. This transport will be used to cross to Luoyang. The hanger at the back is big enough to accommodate one Knightmare. All of you here will pose as representatives of Japan attending a party. There are costumes and uniforms inside. Sort them out as you please and choose your position wisely. Once you enter Luoyang, we'll stop the wedding on our accord. Tohdoh… you'll go with them as well"

"Understood" the samurai nodded agreeing with his tactics.

**(Chinese Federation) (Luoyang Forbidden City)**

**A/N: I decided to make a little side story moment. Don't take this part too seriously.**

Odysseus, the first prince of Britannia walked formally with his escorts that afternoon in the forbidden city of Luoyang. A day after he received a call from his brother Schneizel, he was quite surprised that he said that he had found a peaceful solution in gaining the Chinese Federation's trust. Of course, Schneizel had Odysseus's full support on the matter of a peaceful solution but he never expected to be wed to the empress of all people. The girl he was supposed to we was about ten maybe twenty years younger than himself which made him feel like a pedophile. No doubt when this marriage reaches home, rumors will begin flinging about like wildfire.

But if it was to procure world peace then he could care less what they say about him.

When he arrived at the main building, Schneizel requested that he familiarize himself with his bride to be so that they won't get awkward during the wedding ceremony. The man even brought with him a batch of Britannian chocolate and a batch of roses to appease the young lady. Hopefully his hard studies in the ways of etiquette would be put to good use at last.

When he finally came to the empress's room, he knocked. "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" a maid came out to greet him. "Oh you must be prince Odysseus. Please come right this way. Her highness has been expecting you"

"Thank you. You're too kind" he gestured his escorts to wait while the maid escorted the prince in.

"Your highness, prince Odysseus is here to see you" Odysseus could see a small shadow figure behind the curtains. He could see her flinch as if scared and hesitant. "I'll be outside if you need me"

The prince thanked the maid and waited near the giant bed for the empress to greet him. There was silent at first before he finally spoke up. "Um… excuse the interruption. My name is Odysseus eu Britannia, first prince of Britannia. I am your groom to be"

Slowly but cautiously, the figure behind the bed curtains move and when Tianzi came out, Odysseus couldn't help but gawk silently to himself. Sure he knew that his bride was young but she looked no more than a preschool girl.

"I am… glad to finally meet you. Your highness" Odysseus never bowed to anyone before other than his father and mother. He was a man of little pride which explained much of his indecisive nature.

The empress nodded back raising her wedding gown up to a bow. "It… it… it is good to m… me… meet you. I am Jian Lihua, but you may call me Tianzi"

"A pleasure to meet you" Odysseus took a step to greet her but he only succeeded in frightening her making the empress retreat to her bed. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know I scared you that much. Please forgive me" he withdrew to the table where the maid kindly left two tea cups for them to enjoy.

Odysseus waited patiently and placed his gifts on the table. The tea he had was similar to the one he had in the Lamperouge estate. It was delicious and unique in a way.

It would be another five minutes before the empress would come out again, staring at the man like some kind of animal in a zoo. She peeked from the corner of her bed and soon got the courage to meet him face to face.

"Ah, your highness" Odysseus stood up which only succeeded in scaring her away again. He made a mental note that every quick move will scare her. Tianzi acted like a pup that was easily frightened by the slightest sound. "Forgive me. I guess I'm not exactly who you were expecting to see"

"N… no" Tianzi whispered back. "I'm just a… a little… shy…"

"Well I'm fine like this" the prince laughed. "Talking to a young lady behind a curtain isn't too bad. I'm sure that you're having a difficult time agreeing to this treaty. I know that it must be hard seeing that you promised your marriage to someone else"

The empress gasped. Did he know about Xingke? "H… how do you know that?"

"I saw it in your eyes" he replied taking another cup of tea. "You seemed to have already fallen for someone entirely. I can't blame you for that. A woman's heart is very complex unlike us men here. Whoever it is you've chosen must consider himself very lucky"

He paused for a moment giving the empress time to think. "You know. I have three sisters just about your age. They're quite the wild ones. Always so full of energy despite being royalties"

"Is… is there someone you also chose?" Tianzi asked catching the man by surprise.

"Well… in truth, I don't really have affection to anyone particular" he answered back in all honesty. "The only love I have is with my family. At the moment, I am the current guardian of my younger sister, Nunnally who is a little older than yourself"

"Then… why did you agree to this marriage?"

"Probably not the same reasons you did" Odysseus let out a rather happy yet sad sigh if such a thing was possible. "If it were my choice I would prefer to be married with someone of my age. No doubt they're spreading rumors about me back in the homeland. However…" his tone became serious. "I still do not care of other people's perspective of me. I thought of this event rather seriously for a moment but still I cannot convince myself to agree. What I am doing now is my duty as a prince of Britannia. Being born into royalty, I am obliged to follow my conduct. My life may lead to misery and misfortune from here on… but knowing that my actions will prevent a war between our two forces, then I gladly accept it with pride"

Tianzi was again silent, slowly absorbing all the information. Her heart pounded but still she could not give in to the man. But he was right. Being born into the royal family had given her duties. Duties to fulfill. Gathering up her courage she reappeared from the curtain beds and gaze up to the prince.

"Forgive me. I've said too much" Odysseus bowed down embarrassed. "I brought you some gifts by the way. I don't know if you like flowers, but please… do try one of these chocolates I brought from home. They're Nunnally's favorite"

The empress carefully gazed at the pieces of animal faced chocolates and took one for her own. She looked at it and bit a piece down. It was soft but mellow inside. She squealed in great delight of the treat. "It's delicious!"

"I'm glad…"

The two of them spent the afternoon there, in the room. A moment of solitude and peace came over, as if the war between the Black Knights and Britannia did not bother them one bit.

**(Britannia) (Pendragon Royal Palace) (The next morning)**

"I see… so it's really a political wedding after all" Nunnally sighed as heard the report read to her by her subordinates that day. "I wished I could attend the wedding but I guess I'm stuck here until our budget problem has been cleaned up"

"Yes your highness" one of servants replied. "Shall I call in a council meeting with the others? We can discuss about redistributing wealth to the city"

"Yes, please do that" after the servant left, Nunnally let out a sigh. Running a city was extremely tiring even for her. Usually, Odysseus would be helping her in her beck and call but right now he was off to wed an empress of another nation. He was said to return after the wedding with his new bride and would immediately come to help her once again.

Using the spare time she had now, she took out her phone and called a familiar number. The line rang for a minute before it was answered. "Hello? Lelouch?"

"Oh, your highness" Sayoko muttered back in her disguised voice. "What can I do for you today? Do you require another social visit to Hollington?"

"No…" she hesitated feeling a bit awkward asking for outside help in terms of politics. "Actually… I need your help"

She went on to explain how everything around the council ground was going awry. Thanks to the casualty numbers piling up due to the Pacific fleet incident and the ongoing war with the E.U. heating up as well. Things were becoming quite a mess. Nunnally was no fool either. Now that Odysseus was gone there were present cabinet members who were planning to take advantage of the situation by tricking her into submitting to their rule. Most of the noble family members were still away as well and the only person she could trust enough was her brother's imposter.

"I see" Sayoko muttered knowing well what Nunnally must be facing. "I think I may have a way to help you your highness (Really?) Yes. The meeting you suggested is taking place in ten minutes correct? (Yes) Then please wait for me. I'll contact you again through a different channel. Do you have an ear phone which you can use?"

"Yes I do" Nunnally remembered that her wheelchair came with such a device on her arm rest. "Will you contact me again?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Of course… please standby" Sayoko quickly hung up and dialed Lelouch's number in a hurry.

She explained the whole thing to the dark lord, but he was expecting this call as well. Knowing that the hungry politics of Britannia would surely take control of the situation because their tamer was gone for the week, he prepared a plan to assist Nunnally just by the sound of his voice.

"I see…" Lelouch groaned in his plane bound to Japan to pick up Kaguya. "So that's where she stands? Very well. Patch me through our usual converse channel" he rebuilt his mask again hiding his true emotions aside. The phone line rang and it was answered. "Hello… Nunnally?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The princess flinched to the sound of his voice. Somehow deep in her heart she could hear the tone change just slightly. But she could feel the tenderness of his caring voice. It was just like when Lelouch would tuck her to sleep.

"Lelouch?"

"Your problem is a simple political one" Lelouch explained holding his tears back to his sister's voice. "I will guide you every step of the way. I will listen to their talks and I want you to repeat everything that I say, your highness"

"Are you… are you sure that this will work?"

"I'm obligated to help you your highness. I will make certain that I will not fail" Lelouch replied coyly trying his best not to sound like the old brother she remembers.

When the time came for the meeting, Nunnally could already feel the tension in the room. All the cabinet members had plans of their own and were now thinking of making Pendragon their little profit empire. Looking at the blind and crippled Nunnally enter the room made them all the more confident on how they were going to pull this scam off.

"Lady Nunnally. Welcome back your highness" the men were sucking up to her trying to be polite. "Shall we begin our finalization of our budget for this month?"

"Yes of course" she began. "With the increase of injured and sickly coming to Pendragon for treatment, our hospitals are becoming filled with large amounts of patients lately. We're suffering from large economical backdrops due to large draft of military forces needed in the frontlines of the war. Our own national guards have also been dwindling due to the last terrorist attack at the Matoir mall three months ago. Therefore I propose we should increase our budget mainly on health care and hygiene"

The members paused seeing how the lady displayed her wisdom in the council. Usually it would be Odysseus would do most of the talking.

"Your highness" one of the bolder members pleaded with a dramatic voice. Obviously this man was planning something. "I understand your care for the people's needs but we don't exactly have the budget to do that at the moment. I suggest that we increase our budget in road repairs and reconstructions. I have a proposal for a brand new highway that would cut through Forlorn making it easier for trade and income to flow freely into the city"

A round of agreeing sound came by. Lelouch, who was on board his plane, could only slap himself mentally for hearing such proposal. The chamberlains there were preposterous.

"Councilor" Nunnally replied sternly following what Lelouch was instructing her to do by the earphone hidden in her long chestnut hair. "Your proposal is sound and logical. However I believe you already have three other road projects currently underway do you not? What you propose is to construct another highway that bypasses many areas that would create more unrest to the city. You also promised that these roads were to be completed months ago as well but construction was stopped due to workers getting unpaid. If I agree to this, then you will require even more workers and materials to pay which is not within our budget limit"

"I uh…… your highness I was just saying that…"

"That we should make another road while the ones your promised have not yet been completed? Is that what you're saying?"

The councilor was silent. His neck was on a tight noose now. With no excuse he backed off. "N… no… forgive me your highness"

"Are there any other proposals?" the room fell silent. After witnessing one of their own utterly humiliated and lectured in a way by a blind girl they felt a bit threatened by her presence. There was another fool who tried to scam her saying that production was decreasing due to worker holidays but she countered almost too easily with Lelouch giving her advice. It felt like having a mind full of cheat codes in a game of politics.

"If there are no more arguments I would like to implement the construction of a new hospital"

"But your highness" another of the councilor spoke up. "Building a new hospital will drain our budgets greatly for this month constructing it will be easy but employing workers and doctors will be hard"

"Then we can change that by adding a new wing to each hospital we have now" Nunnally suggested in a commanding tone. "The employees there will have more work to do and we can increase productivity of medical supplies. All in favor?"

"Aye…" the agreement was reluctant but implemented anyway. The councilors here will now rue the day they tried to scam a member of the royal family.

**(Chinese Federation) (Xingke's personal base)**

"A secret agreement has already been set up between Prince Schneizel and the High Eunuchs" Xianglin explained to Xingke and his trusted officers around their meeting table. At the moment, the servants of the Forbidden City have been called to arrange a party so there was certainty that no one would be around to eves drop on them. "Once the empress has been married, they'll seed our territory to them. Afterwards they'll grab the Britannian nobility titles in exchange for their own position"

"Nobility…" Xingke muttered venomously. "They would sell off their country just for a title and name?"

"And our people!" a soldier vent his anger on the table up front.

"Death to the High Eunuchs!"

"We've got to stop this wedding even if it means putting our plans into action early!"

Xianglin understood their anger just as much but saw that they would lose more than they gain if they implement their plans. "But if we stage a coup now, Britannia is going to declare war on the federation"

"Either we ensure peace or we do not" those were Xingke's words when he decided his plan. The memory of the time when the empress spared his life flooded back to him. No. He had to do it not for the people… but for her who spared his life.

"Master Xingke, what are your orders?"

He opened his eyes and finally came with an answer. "We have no choice. Tell Hong Gu to prepare the Gang Lous. Once we stage the coup we'll have to protect ourselves against the Britannian onslaught soon after. We'll also have to deal with the Forbidden City defense force. I will take the local security force with me to storm the wedding ceremony by next week. Everything must be in place once I have rescued the empress. Send a contingency of our forces to the Sheng Shu ravine and prepare"

"We hear and obey!"

**(Plane on route to Luo Yang)**

"There… everything has gone according to plan" Lelouch stated out to C2, who was again nibbling on some pizza. "As to be expected"

"So you've secured Nunnally's rule in Pendragon?" she asked out of boredom.

"The politician underestimated her because of her feebleness" he explained. "With this, they won't question her authorities for another month or two before they grow bolder. I'll have to step up the plan for her sake as well"

"You're risking much just by calling her through the phone you know that"

"Nothing is below that risk when it comes to her" Lelouch stated clearly not backing down on his statement. "Regardless, now would be the perfect time as any. C2, I need to ask you something. (Hmm?) Although the people here have no memory of it, I still have the feint fragments of what happened a year ago when Suzaku attacked me. I remember… seeing a giant Geass symbol on Mt. Fuji. It paralyzed everyone except myself"

"So you remember it?"

"Only for a few seconds before Suzaku destroyed the Gawain. Everything else becomes a blur"

A moment pause before C2 finally replied. "It's a weapon developed by the Geass Order. It wasn't anything lethal but it has the ability to paralyze an entire army like a standstill"

"You mean it stops everyone sense of time, like Rolo's Geass?"

"Yes, but on the countrywide scale. You were affected too, just like the others. However the only difference is that this Geass has the ability to control who to affect and who not to"

"So that explains why Suzaku wasn't affected by it" Lelouch groaned remembering how he was brought to the emperor to kneel before him. "Can it be used unlimitedly?"

"No. Unlike your Geass or anyone else in that matter, this weapon requires a lengthy recharge time. They call it… God's Geass"

"God?" Lelouch snickered to the name seeing that these people were bent on destroying god himself. "I see… even the almighty one requires a touch of power to even up the odds. But regardless it will not interfere with our plans for the moment. So long as they think I'm still under Britannian watch they won't interfere with the Black Knight's plans. I will find this V2 and bring him out into the light myself"

**(Omake moment)**

A chibi Jeremiah walked into the kitchen where Sayoko was that afternoon cooking and cleaning.

"Oh Lord Jeremiah" the chibi ninja maid called to him. "Is something the matter?"

"Nothing much. But it appears that his majesty is suffering from a slight illness again"

"Illness? Oh my. I should prepare some medicines right away"

"No need" the android stopped her with a loud sigh. "It isn't something contagious or devastating. It's an illness that only his majesty has. Something that he gets when he's bored. There are many names to it but I would prefer to call it…… the Schneizel syndrome"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Schneizel!" chibi Lelouch yelled out his mortal enemy's name in spite and venomously. "You! I knew you were behind all of this all along! That day when I went to play a chess match I was supposed to end it in six moves but when the news came along of a sale in the mall you distracted me! You were the one who initiated that sale didn't you! Schneizel!"

"That night when I was leisurely reading the daily bugle news, a cat got stuck in a tree and two kids cried for my help, distracting me from my plans! You can try to fool the others saying that it was the cat's own will, but I know that it was you who planted it there to distract me! Schneizel!"

"And on that day when I finally had the latest issue of Icha Icha series, I thought I could finally find out what happened to Moira after she kissed her first love! But then the story ended with a ridiculous 'to be continued' sign! I knew it the moment I opened that book! You bribed the author to do your bidding didn't you! It was you all along! Schneizel!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sayoko's eye twitched at the scene of her master's condition. She turned to Jeremiah who had the same expression and decided to leave the young master to let him rant on for the rest of the day.

**(Luo Yang) (Forbidden City) (Pre-wedding party)**

A hall filled with guests of noble esteem and birthright came to life that evening when the wedding between the first prince and the empress was announced to the world. Nobles both of Britannian and Chinese lineage lingered in the city and the sound of laughter and music came to be. It was a joyous occasion for a few but a political business for many.

Odysseus and his bride to be sat together at the head of the hall along with the High Eunuchs beside them, greeting guests as they come and go as they pleased. Gifts lined along their table filled with furnitures and expensive boutiques of different kinds.

The prince nodded over to the latest guest to arrive and quickly held a glass of champagne over his lips. But then he noticed that Tianzi was quietly nibbling at the chocolate he gave her earlier. "Tianzi"

The empress flinched at the call of her name. "Y… yes…?"

"I know that this is a pre-wedding party but please try not to eat chocolates before supper or it will ruin your appetite. I know you're nervous just as I am but you should at least eat your food"

"Uh…… ok…"

The party went on with more and more guests pouring from the entrance. Odysseus greeted each of them politely and swayed the empress to speak on her behalf at least. But about much later, three Knights of the Round entered the scene, bowing to the prince.

"Greetings your highness" Gino, Suzaku and Anya were all present and accounted for under Prince Schneizel's command. "Congratulation on your wedding"

"Three Knights of the Round?" Odysseus seemed baffled by his honored guests. "Surely this is truly a joyous occasion. I didn't expect the elites of my father's forces to be present on my wedding. Will my brother be joining me later on? He was the one who set this wedding up after all"

"Yes sir. He should be with us shortly" Suzaku answered solemnly. "If you'll excuse us your highness" when the three knights were away from the main table, the young White Knight of Britannia turned to his comrades. "Tell me something Gino. Did the empress really consent to this marriage?"

"What?" the blonde knight motioned. "Well that's what the authorities said after all, but I guess we can only take their word for it. Besides it's not like we have any choice for that matter. But who cares? If this treaty goes well then it should prevent an all out war with the federation. That means less work for us"

"Well… I guess that's true enough"

"Let's just enjoy the party! Hey what's this?" Gino picked up a strange fruit decoration from the table. "Hey. This is that charred newt thing that the Chinese were so famed about, right? I've always wanted to taste it. So how do I eat it?"

"Uh Gino. That's a decoration made out of food" he pointed out seeing that the young noble wasn't exactly familiar with the culture here in Asia. "You don't really eat it, it's just for display"

"Decoration? Really? But didn't Anya eat a bird like this during the reception?"

The pink haired knight simply raised a brow. "I like bird… it was tasty"

"Do you mean the Chinese Phoenix? You ate that?"

"Yes I believe so" Anya showed him a picture of the said food on her camera recorder. "It's not meat but fruit"

"So what's it made out of?" Gino asked pointing at the said dish. "I mean… it looks like a potato, so I can still eat it right?"

"I guess, but maybe you should stick with eating the regular food, Gino"

"Suzaku" Kanon Maldini, appeared out of nowhere. "It's good to finally meet the famed Knight of Seven himself. I believe you and I met during the construction of the Slepnir"

"Oh. Lord Maldini" Suzaku lowered a bow. "I didn't know you be attending the ceremony. I thought you would still be in the Avalon"

"His highness thought that I was cooped up enough at the ship so he brought me out here to enjoy the festivities" the advisor laughed. "He still believes that he could find me a woman here to suit my taste" but then the announcer came up stating the next guest.

"Now announcing the arrival of the prime minister of the Holy Britannian Empire, the 2nd Prince Schneizel and the Duchess of The Floating Garden, Lady Nina Einstein!"

Immediately, the two said figures entered the room, Schneizel dressed in his common noble white garb while Nina was dressed in a ravishing Victorian outfit. Both showed signs of strength in the political world. One showed power in cunning and tactics while the other showed wisdom and grace. They approached the table where Odysseus was sitting and bowed ever so slightly to the two soon to be wed.

"It's good to see you again big brother" Schneizel greeted in a solemn voice. "It's been awhile. I hope everything is going well back at the homeland"

"I left the capital in capable hands, brother" Odysseus replied back showing his humility. "But in either case, I'm quite glad that I am able to help you for once in my life. Though I never expected the favor to be this of all things"

"Yes, you have my apologies. I know that this must be difficult"

"Nonsense! If I could help in any way I am glad! It's always been you whose been pulling me out of tight situations at times. Please, enjoy the party while it last"

"Yes, thank you Odysseus" he darted his eyes to Tianzi who flinched again by his stare. "Though you surprise me brother. You've seem to have grown close to her majesty in such a short time"

"Yes, we had a nice talk in the room earlier and we have a somewhat mutual understanding. But anyway brother. I never expected you to be a man who would prefer only one woman. I guess you and I are not so different after all"

"Please brother, don't tease" Schneizel laughed while Nina simply blushed at his comment. It was then a rather round member of the High Eunuch approached them.

"Pardon me your highness, but will the emperor be joining the wedding tomorrow?"

Schneizel sighed, knowing well that their father would not attend such an event. If anything, he would probably call it a mundane matter just like everything else in his empire. "No. His majesty is currently on a task that requires a delicate touch at the moment. He barely has enough time to run a country much less spend them with his own family. But in either case, I will act as his representative for the time being"

"Of course your highness"

The party went on without interruption for most of the night. Odysseus and Tianzi, kept their role in check but still it felt awkward to talk to one another. But just when everyone thought that the party was going to end peacefully, the announcer came again, this time his face full of distraught.

"Ughmmm… now announcing, the prime minister of Japan and the head of the Kyoto group and the leading member of the Sumeragi conglomerate, Ms. Kaguya Sumeragi!"

Tianzi skipped with joy of her friend's arrival but the simple name seemed to have brought some irritation to the Britannian nobles. Knowing that they were the first to actually defy their mighty empire, the Japanese bore some strange resentment to the higher class. But just when they thought seeing the prime minister show her face, her escorts seemed to have brought more fear to them.

"Kaguya?" Suzaku recognized his cousin's name. He had hoped to greet and meet her seeing that she was still family in sense. But when he noticed her escorts, he froze. "What the?"

Kaguya stood there in a pretty white dress, her arms wrapped around Zero's own, making them look like a married couple walking into a ball. Behind them, stood Kallen, Chiba and Jeremiah Gottwald all dressed in their fashionable Black Knight attire. A round of gasps and shock came through, followed by guards coming up with spears and guns pointed at the visitors.

"Zero, how dare he!" Kanon spat. "Showing up at this ceremony. Does he have no sense of shame?"

"That red head over there" Gino motioned to Kallen who stood closely to the caped vigilante. "That's the pilot of Gurren. She's a lot cuter than her wanted poster, that's for sure"

However, from the background, Schneizel could only smile happily to finally meet his match. "Well now, this evening just got interesting" he raised a glass of wine to his face reflecting the vigilante's mask.

The dozen guards surrounded Zero and his party which then earned them a sharp glare from Jeremiah who was just about to draw his blade on first person to touch his prince.

"My my……" Zero motioned to one of the spears pointing at his face. "The welcoming party for this country has changed since the last time I've been here. I don't remember seeing armed guards at a wedding ceremony before" he then noticed Schneizel hiding behind Kanon Maldini grinning like always. _"Schneizel… so you are the puppeteer behind this act. I expected as much"_

"Wait!" Tianzi was about to rush off and stop the guards but she was halted by one of the High Eunuchs who convinced her to stay on her seat as a guest of honor should. "She… she's a friend"

"Of all the blazes" Odysseus let out a groan. "For him to appear that this very occasion is already making a mess. To think that my heart hasn't had enough to take for the day"

Jeremiah scanned his surroundings counting the number of guards in the palace. Indeed the security force was lacking. In fact, Kallen and Chiba would be more than enough to take them all down. He also noted the presence of Gino, the Knight of Three and… Anya. "What? That girl…… Anya Altstream? It can't be"

"Please stop this nuisance" Schneizel suddenly came up gesturing his hands to the guards. "Today is a day of celebration"

"But sir!" the smaller Eunuch bellowed. "He's a terrorist. We can't just let him…"

"Ms. Sumeragi. I believe that Zero is your escort for this evening? Can you please refrain on bringing him to the wedding ceremony, it will be quite awkward if he is present there"

"Of course your highness" Kaguya replied cutely. "But you must understand, I'm only here because my friend is about to be wed. I needed to extra protection and the Black Knights were kindly enough to provide me with the necessary security"

"Prince Schneizel…" Zero began holding his hand up in a gesture of a handshake. He wanted to lure the 2nd prince closer so that he may use his Geass on him. "We meet in person…… at last…" but then Suzaku came in between them along with Gino and Anya. "As watchful as ever I see… Suzaku"

"Suzaku Kururugi" Kaguya motioned to her favorite relative. "Don't you remember me? We're cousins you and I. Even though we may be families apart, you still hold the distinguished title of being a member of the Six Houses of Kyoto"

"Yes, I've heard of Lord Kirihara's condition" the White Knight nodded. "However all evidence proves that he supported terrorist group. I have no sympathy for him"

"Oh well that's just too bad"

Zero knew that there was no way he could get to Schneizel as long as Suzaku was there with him. But nonetheless he had other plans in mind. A distraction was needed and ironically he was the distraction. "Prince Schneizel (Hmm?) Would you care for a game of chess?"

The said prince raised a brow. "Chess you say?"

"Yes. You and I made a solemn promise a year ago after the liberation of Japan. I was hoping to honor that promise" Zero chuckled. "No wagers of course. Just a friendly game of chess pieces at war. No casualties and no bickering and most importantly… no risks"

Schneizel smiled. "Is that so? Very well then. I agree to your terms"

"Your highness!" Gino quieted down when the blonde prince gestured to him that it was ok.

"It's alright Gino. It's only a game of chess. Besides… this will make a fine evening of entertainment for the wedding. Can someone please procure a chess table for the two of us?"

The cold evening wedding party was now just getting warmed up for a grander game.

**(Parking lot)**

"Man of all the things!" Tamaki yelled out irritated by the chauffer costume he was wearing. "I thought we were going in as guests but Zero had to change his mind on the last minute and made all of us drivers and servants! What's the deal with that!" he and Inoue were waiting outside the gates of the Forbidden City near their original hideout dressed as servants.

"Oh be quiet Tamaki" Inoue scolded. "We're still part of the plan anyway just a little different role" she quickly switched on her com. "Yoshida, Sugiyama, report in"

"This is Yoshida. We're just about finished with our disguises. Sugiyama is in the third hall right now clearing the area. We should have the Forbidden City under our control in about ten minutes. How about Ohgi?"

"He's returning to the Ikaruga as we speak" Inoue replied. "Diethard also went to the media center a few hours ago"

"I still think I should be dressed as a bureaucrat rather than a servant. This suit stinks!"

**(Geass Order HQ)**

V2, the mastermind of the Geass Order let out a small sigh as he fed the fishes in his aquarium. He was bored of the same routine. The Though Elevator that he had spent years constructing was completed but the problem was activating it. He experimented on several Geass Soldiers on trying to activate it but all the results came to the same three conclusion. The subject would die, hallucinate or go mad with rage which would eventually force the guards to put him or her down.

"Director V2" one of the Geass Order cultists entered his room. "We've just received word that Zero has made an appearance in the Chinese Federation"

V2 didn't move, he's experienced too many deaths and bad news to finally grow bored of it. "So… he's finally arrived. It seems like our position here is threatened. If Zero takes over the Chinese Federation, it won't be long until he finds us"

"Should I order an evacuation sir?"

"No. Causing panic among ourselves would only slow our production. Besides… our research data and labs have already been built. It will take a year to find another isolated location to build our hideout" he fed the fishes again and this time they began gobbling the food down like starved animals. "Tell me. Has there been any word from the OSI?"

"No sir. They only report that Lelouch has been behaving normally for the pass months. Nothing new on that matter"

"It's already been a year and still C2 hasn't showed up. How disappointing" V2 motioned again, tapping the aquarium. "If she's not willing to come get him then he is of no more use to us"

"T… then what do you suggest we do, Director V2?"

The child thought for a moment, picking up a rather large slice of meat from the plate. "A person who has no use or value is of no consequence to me. (pause) Oh I know……… stop sending medication to our agent. She'll know what to do then"

The cultist's eyes widened but did not argue with the master. He bowed. "Yes, of course sir" and left the room.

V2 then grinned evilly as he saw his fishies now eagerly awaiting that slice of meat he was dangling above the aquarium. "Now then. How will you play this game out……Lelouch?" he dropped the meat and the fish… gorge on it.


	22. Who invited them?

**Chapter 22: Who invited Them?**

**(Luoyang) (Forbidden City)**

Zero picked up his black bishop from the chessboard and then gently took over the white rook blocking his way. The chess match between him and Schneizel was becoming quite an entertainment of the party. Already before the match even began, there were side bets going all around and money was being passed to almost all the nobles in the room.

Schneizel smirked and slowly allowed his queen to take over position at the left flank making the center line a kill zone. However, that was all he could do seeing that his frontlines were already crumbling against Zero's relentless attack.

The two players were sitting on two of the most comfortable chairs in the room, a glass of water on a stool next to them. Suzaku stood guard over the prince waiting for the moment the socket in Zero's mask would open up. That would be the moment he struck. On the opposite side, Kallen and Chiba stood at both Zero's flanks, not even paying attention to the game.

In the meanwhile, Jeremiah himself was at the buffet table, enjoying the beverages prepared. This was a party after all so the food was free game.

"Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald" the former marquis turned his attention to the blonde knight of the round who graced his presence with his partner Anya. "So it is you after all"

"Lord Weinberg" Jeremiah lowered his head raising his glass for a toast. "An honor to meet the man who has bested me in combat over the Pacific"

"So it really was you in the Black Sutherland during the operation" Gino marked not losing his cool. "So that means that the rumors about Orange are true"

Jeremiah would've laughed if it weren't for the party politeness. "Orange you say? Well now…… I guess you could say that Orange… is the name of my loyalty. I serve a master like yourself but I am not restricted by petty virtues"

Click…

"Recorded…" Anya took a good photo of the green haired soldier taking his face into mind.

"Lady Altstream"

"Mind telling us why you're siding with the other group now?" Gino asked.

Again the former Margrave held his tongue. "Let's just say that you and I are enemies on the battlefield, Lord Weinberg. But I am surprised however… Should you not be at his highness's side?"

"Suzaku doesn't want us" Anya answered taking another photo of the man. "He wants us to watch him from afar"

Jeremiah grinned at this. So what Lelouch said was true after all. Seeing that Anya and Gino were good candidates, keeping them close could only result in them becoming Geass slaves.

"I have 2000 credits wagering on Zero" Anya added showing the bet ticket she got from one of the nobles.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In a far room away from the chess match, Odysseus and his bride to be, Lady Tianzi and the High Eunuchs and Lady Kaguya were watching the game from a camera atop the chess table. There were guards surrounding them in case of an assassination attempt.

"Surely we don't have to watch from a separate room away from the show" the first prince sighed.

"He's playing a terrorist" the large eunuch reasoned. "You can never expect what's going to happen"

"That's ridiculous" Kaguya motioned cheerfully. "It's obvious that it's my husband who's going to win this match"

"Really?" Tianzi asked. She saw the game clearly from her seat but she can't seem to understand how the game is played.

Odysseus laughed. "I understand how you feel Ms. Sumeragi. But in all my life I have never seen anyone defeat my brother, Schneizel in a game of chess. It'll be a good match to see who will fold first"

"Umm… I don't really understand how this game is played" Tianzi replied looking all the while baffled.

"It's a game of cunning and strategy my lady. It's hard for me to explain the rules since I barely played it myself. But the simple rule is that the opponent loses when his king is no longer able to move"

"That's kind of hard, isn't it?"

"Yes it is. A game not meant for people like us" Odysseus raised his glass to one of the servants. "Excuse me. I'll have another bottle of Advocat if you please"

"Sorry your highness" the waiter bowed in apology. "But Sir Suzaku has ordered us not to serve you anything but water. He fears that Zero may try to poison you"

But of course that was probably just Suzaku being overly cautious about this whole situation. Poisoning wasn't exactly Zero's way no matter how you look at it.

Again the prince let out a sigh. "Even at my own wedding party, I can't find myself to relax. How depressing is that?"

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Tap…

A black pawn moves up, checkmating the white queen in its track. Zero knew that the queen was the mightiest piece at the beginning of the game but once the army is moved up ahead, it becomes another piece on the board. It was still a powerful piece nonetheless so taking it out was top priority.

"He is good" Kanon muttered seeing the white and black pieces were piling up on the side table. "His highness is losing at offense so he has to fight a defensive battle"

Schneizel moved his 2nd rook into position, killing the black knight in its path. The fight was going well but he was still two pieces short. Neither kings had yet to move sensing that they were not planning to castle either.

Another minute passed by and soon the battlefield became somewhat barren with only nine pieces remaining on the board. It was soon coming to the end game where both players will have no choice but to move up with haste. Aggression and quick thinking was needed in this part of the game.

"Oh?" Zero noted Schneizel moving his last pawn forward, tricking him into thinking that he would get a queen at the end of the table. "I didn't expect you to turn the tables on me so quickly" but inside, Zero knew what the man was doing. It was the same move he used when they were both very young. It was a stress move, something to make him ponder and worry while his other pieces were busy fighting on the field. _"My brother was and still is a master of this game. He's the only person I could never beat. However… that was eight years ago"_ he raised his king up in front causing the audience to gasp.

Even Schneizel was moved. "It's your king. You're going to use it to defend your own queen?"

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?" Zero explained placing the king piece at the back of the black queen protecting its left flank from a possible double check. "Besides…… I never send my queen in if I wasn't confident about her skill. I put my life in my queen's hands… no one else"

Kallen turned her attention to Zero, a deeper part of her honored by that comment. She felt somewhat flattered as well. Chiba noticed this but kept her eyes on Schneizel's bodyguard.

"Impressive strategy" Schneizel motioned humorously. "In fact… I'll do the same" he raised his white king up and moved it forward ahead of his two protecting bishop and knight.

"What?"

Twice now has Schneizel been able to surprise Zero. First with the attempt to unify the Holy Britannian Empire and the Federation with this wedding and now his mimicking of his own tactics.

At the far back, Jeremiah could see that his master was taking a difficult turn on this game. No one has ever attempted to mimic the King-Lead-Maneuver before other than Lelouch himself and now facing with the same tactic, it was becoming fairly obvious that this was becoming an even match.

"5000 credits for Zero" Anya stated holding another role of cash in her hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The two kings were now moving closer towards each other and already one could see that sparks of fire rising between the two players.

Odysseus was sipping at his glass of water already annoyed that he wasn't allowed any kind of beverages. The match was getting good and it was soon coming to an end game. At this kind of time he wished he would have at least some juice to drink.

"I'm at the edge of my seat, wondering who will win this now. I never thought that my brother would actually be cornered by someone such as Zero"

"Oh they're evenly matched" Kaguya said sweetly. "I hoped that they would've had at least a small wager to make it more interesting. A match between pride and honor is so cliché"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tap…

The black king takes the field with the black queen in tow. They were only one pace away from claiming the opponent's king. "So… you can't advance any further, can you?"

Schneizel nodded but kept his head cool. You are looking at a man who would experience an earthquake and still he wouldn't budge. "Hmm… we're going to a three full repetition at this rate"

"It wasn't my intention but shall we declare this match a draw?" Zero was going to have to satisfy himself with a draw battle for now. Victory can come later but a defeat here would be humiliating.

"I think not…" Schneizel grinned mischeviously as he raised his king one last time. "You would do well not to underestimate the white king"

"That move…" Zero's eyes widened, his teeth gritting in anger. It was a sucker move. One that always beat him to the punch. Schneizel placed his king directly in front of the black king, as if presenting himself to be captured.

"Checkmate…"

A round of gasps came again but this time it was out of wonder and curiosity. To see the prince actually hand Zero a victory was nothing that could be heard. Even those who knew this game well couldn't tell why his highness did that for. It was unprecedented but a bold move nonetheless.

Kanon noticed it as well and still he cannot explain why his prince was doing such a sore lover move. "But if Zero moves his king forward…"

"Then he'll capture… Prince Schneizel's King" Jeremiah finished almost as if he knew that this would be the result of the game. He has seen Prince Lelouch and Prince Schneizel play this game plenty of times when they were at Aries Villa. The game would always result in Lelouch losing or a draw by some luck of margin. "A perfect move indeed…"

"Does this mean no one wins?" Anya wondered now holding onto a suitcase stuffed with money. "That means I keep the winning, right?"

"What is this?" Zero pretended in motion regardless of knowing what the 2nd prince was up to. "This is…… this is an insult. If I accept this invitation then I'll be giving in to his intent. I won't do it. I won't! This humiliation… is… huh?" but just when he was about to pick up his king and move it back, he suddenly noticed something. He saw how the two kings of black and white reflected one another. To actually be seeing these two pieces facing off in a chess game was uncommon but it also symbolized something else.

A plan. A plan so devious that it even made Zero himself turn from a sore loser to a victor.

He chuckled… and then afterwards he laughed. "Ahahahahahahaha!" the crowd stepped back frightened of the vigilante's next move. "Well played Prince Schneizel, well played. I always thought of you to be a man who played with minds but never like this" he then surprisingly stood up from his seat flapping his cape around. "I am satisfied with this game as it is"

"What's the matter? Are you not going to take my king?"

"There's no reason to. Besides… they look fine where they are" he snickered quietly to himself. "Tell me Prince Schneizel…… if Britannia and I were never at war… do you think we could've made this world… a better place?"

The white prince stood, still grinning as well. "An interesting question. One that would be hard to fight. In the end… no two suns can rule the same sky"

"Agreed. Well this game has been a pleasant distraction for our current affair. Thank you Prince Schneizel for a wonderful game"

"My thanks to you as well" Schneizel nodded. "We must certainly play again. But perhaps next time we can play on better circumstances"

But just as the two kings were about to take their leave, Jeremiah caught a hint of killing intent suddenly appearing from the crowd. He used his cybernetic eye and caught the assassin quickly approaching with a knife in her hand. The disgraced margrave rushed out, his speed and prowess even greater than that of a normal human. He caught the assassin by the hand, to his surprise it was actually a young girl in a cute pink dress.

"Zero!" Nina roared out in venom and distaste. Her face twisted with rage and anger. A knife in her bloodied hands. "You bastard! Princess Euphemia will be avenged!"

"Nina!" Suzaku put himself between the attacker and Schneizel becoming a human shield.

"I suggest you put down that knife at once" Jeremiah ordered his hand skillfully grabbing Nina by the wrist. "If you do not I will be forced to break your arm"

"Why do you stop me!" the young Einstein snapped, her tears rolling down her cheek uncontrollably. "You're a Britannian and you're a noble by birth! Why do you choose to protect him!"

"Who I choose to serve and protect is none of your concern" he replied unphased. "My loyalty lies with only those of my choosing. No one else"

"You're a filthy traitor just like those Elevens!"

Jeremiah's face bore rage. He lifted his second hand to slap the girl, who dare compared him with those enfeeble numbers. But he halted when Zero spoke up. "Jeremiah. There's no need to harm a lady"

The former margrave collected himself and quickly took the knife away and tossing the girl down to the floor. At least now she wasn't armed.

Kallen and Chiba rushed to Zero's side waiting for the girl to make her move again but Zero simply brushed them aside. He approached the would-be assassin with no fear… only pity and regret burning an old wound in his heart.

"You are Nina Einstein, the genius of Britannia, are you not?" Zero knelt down to greet the young green haired duchess and helped her back up. He remembered well what he did to make the girl lose a part of her sanity. If he could explain it, he would say that it was all just a big misunderstanding, an accident if that proved anything better. But in his mind, he cannot forgive himself. No amount of penance could ever be enough for the sins he accumulated on that fateful day.

"Zero…" Kallen motioned closer but Zero signaled her off.

"You are an acquaintance of Princess Euphemia I believe. You studied with her in Ashford Academy" the duchess could only look back at the man's mask as his eyes bore down on her. She felt frightened but at the same time angry. The killer of her precious Euphemia was standing right in front of her. If she had only but a weapon it would be more than enough just to bleed him. "You will cling on to her even after her massacre at the SAZ?"

"She did only what she thought was right and you killed her for it! I will never forgive you! Never! Even if I have to live a thousand times I will never forgive you! You! You!" She was about to throw a punch when one of the Forbidden City guards grabbed her. "Let go of me! Let go of me! Suzaku! Why aren't you doing anything! You should be the one to kill him after all you were Princess Euphemia's Knight!"

The boy in question froze. Indeed. He was the knight of the said princess who was killed by Zero himself. But yet why? Why does he not take his sword now and kill the man responsible right here and there?

"Come on lady, let's go!" the guard pushed her back.

"No! I will have your life Zero! Princess Euphemia will be avenged!"

"That's it…!" the guard was now irritated so with his skilled training he sedated Nina with a tranquilizer gun.

"Nina…" Zero eyed the girl pitifully. But now was just the right moment. He had the chance to Geass Schneizel at this very moment. Suzaku was too busy contemplating on what Nina said earlier and the audience were all baffled on what has happened. It was the perfect moment to checkmate the whole game in one swift motion. But alas, his black heart suddenly got the better of him. Even when he thought he killed his heart to sway his mind on logic and rational actions, it pumped back to life giving his brain that needed boost to do the illogical thing.

He opened up his eye socket, revealing his Geass. And right before Nina's eyes closed to the sedation, he spoke softly in his caring words. **"Forgive me…"**

**(Ashford University) (Britannia)**

**A/N: It's night time in the Chinese Federation but afternoon in Britannia. It makes perfect sense so stop arguing about it! Oh and Ashford University and Ashford Academy are two separate schools too! No more complaints, thank you!**

Shirley was getting ready to go out with her friends that afternoon. Even with the ongoing war with the E.U. and the Black Knights and the merging between the Chinese Federation and the Empire of Britannia, education and academics were still in process.

"Shirley! Come on, we're going ahead of you!" her roommate called out.

"Wait for me guys!" as a girl with a great taste in fashion, Shirley always seemed to be the last one out of the room. The girls she was out with had already left the room, leaving her in the room. "Oh man not again. Why is this button so hard to put on? Don't tell me I gained weight because I haven't been sticking with my old diet?" she tried it on harder and harder but then to her surprise, she ripped her clothes. "Oh this is the third one this month! I think I might be growing more muscles than fats!" she quickly changed into a more simple T-shirt and decided that she could get more clothes at the mall.

But just when she was about to head off she pulled out a capsule from her pocket. It was the pills that her doctor told her to take daily. However, she found the bottle empty. "Oh great… I knew I was taking too many of them"

She quickly rushed in to the student council office where Coach Villetta was using for her weekend rest spot. Even though she wasn't on active duty in school or the OSI she found the place quite peaceful to enjoy. Though it somewhat reminded her of Ohgi as well, who used to be a school teacher back in Japan.

"Coach Villetta?"

"Oh, Shirley" the undercover agent muted the TV she was watching. "I thought you already left with your friends. Is there something wrong?"

"I was wondering if my medication came yet. I ran out of the last batch"

"Already?" Villetta questioned. "Those were a lot of pills Shirley. Make sure you don't overdose yourself. I've seen you popping in those things like candy. They were supposed to last you through the month so your next batch isn't coming until then"

"I thought so" Shirley sighed. "But I can't help it. Every time I stop taking these pills I usually hurt around my left eye"

"Maybe it's just a minor eye infection. But just to be on the safe side, why don't you go check in with school nurse. If it's something serious I want you checked out immediately ok?"

"Yes. Thanks coach!"

**(Pendragon Royal Palace)**

"I see, so you'll be coming home soon, brother Odysseus?" Nunnally spoke to her elder brother through the monitor. Despite being blind she could somehow feel him smiling at her. "I heard that there was some kind of commotion happening so I was worried"

"Yes, well the wedding party wasn't how I pictured it would be" Odysseus replied rather embarrassed. "But in any case, everything is fine here. I'll be back at the capital once all the ceremony is done. The empress will also be coming with me so I'll be making living arrangements for her"

"Is it true then? (Hmm?) About the empress. The one you're supposed to marry. Is she really younger than me?"

Odysseus let out a small awkward laugh. "Well yes…… she is. About a few years younger I'm afraid. But that's exactly why I wanted to call you Nunnally. (Huh?) You see. The empress here is a bit sheltered. She doesn't exactly have a lot of friends in the Forbidden City and there aren't a lot of people her age either. I was hoping you two could become friends when we get back. My first thought was introducing her to Carline but…… ummm…"

Nunnally chuckled at this. She knew how her half sister Carline could be. She was a girl who upheld the true Britannian ideal of the strong taking over the weak. "I understand. I don't have any problems with it. Besides, if she's marrying you then that makes her a part of the family. I've never actually met a sister in law before"

"Well I'm sure the two of you will get along just fine. But anyway enough about me. I heard a lot of good things happening in the capital lately. Schneizel said that you actually got the board to approve the construction of new hospital wings. That's very impressive"

"Ahehehe… I had a little help"

"Well it's good to know that I left the capital in good hands. If you keep this up, I'll be out of a job soon" they shared a laugh.

"Come home same Odysseus. I only wish I could attend your wedding ceremony but I guess hearing it broadcast on the radio will be fine too. Good day, Odysseus"

**(Luoyang) (Forbidden City)**

"Good day Nunnally" the screen turned off, leaving the prince again in the darkness of his account. The sudden appearance of Zero really put a lot of pressure in his heart and the wedding wasn't exactly making him feel any better either. In a matter of hours he was going to say his vows to a girl barely even half his age. Sure, it wasn't how he expected his married life to be but if it can prevent an all out war and save the lives of billions then he was all for it.

He stood up from his chair away from his console and towards the balcony. The moon was full tonight and it gave him some measure of relief knowing that this action would benefit the world.

"Ody?"

The prince was surprised to hear the empress's voice seeing that they were both given separate rooms. A popular belief was that a groom was not to see his bride in a gown before the wedding.

"Your majesty?" Odysseus looked up to his bedroom door and noticed Tianzi looking at him. She had a strangely oversized doll of Doraemon with her too. "What are you doing here late at such a night? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

The girl did not reply. She simply raised her doll up to him as if offering it. "Here" she said finally. "You'll need it to sleep tonight"

"Uhh…… thank you?" before Odysseus could ask why, Tianzi ran off. "Oh great. Why do women have to be so complicated? As if I don't have enough to think about already!" he looked at the giant Doraemon doll and squish its body before letting out another large sigh. "You understand me, don't you, Mr. Doll?"

Squeak…

"Haaaaaa…… the least I had hoped for would be a bachelor party. Oh well…"

**(Black Knight mobile hideout)**

Lelouch sat back on his chair completely bored that night. Though he was terribly excited by the coming operation tomorrow, the difficult part was waiting for the day to get there. It was like testing your patience in a game of chess even though you already know how the game will end. All he could do at the moment was review on the situation and make sure everything were as planned.

The other members of the Black Knights that were part of the operation had already left to their designated points to insert themselves into the wedding. Now it was only C2 and himself who were left on board.

"Forgive the intrusion your majesty" Jeremiah entered the master's room, carrying with him two trays of pizza and some Chinese takeout from the nearby food stall. "I wasn't able to get what you wanted, but I'm sure that you will enjoy these delicious noodles. They're from a particularly famous stall in this neighborhood"

"My compliments on working so quickly Jeremiah" C2 thanked before taking the pizza off his hand. "Lelouch, won't you come and eat? The food won't wait for you, you know"

"Quiet witch. I'm busy at the moment" he clicked on the screen showing the files of the three knights of the round that were present at the party. In all cases, he could guess that they were the same ones he encountered at the Pacific Ocean. The Knights of the Round were fierce warriors, the best Britannia had to offer in terms of Knightmare combat. However… they were not invincible. Their fight with the Gurren Mk. II proved that already.

"Oh, the Knights of the Round" Jeremiah noted. "Quite to adversary, don't you think my lord?"

"They're nuisance, I'll give them that. However their profiles are top secret. I can't get much information on their mental pattern or physical condition. After the liberation of Japan, the Britannian have classified all personal details of the members of the Knights of the Round"

"Gino Weinberg, the earl of Bolfield" Jeremish added knowing well the military warrior on the field. "He's quite the distinguished soldier. Serving at the frontlines during the first year of the E.U. war and the taking of the English Channel. He's a reputable soldier capable of many things. He pilots the variable Knightmare frame, Tristian"

"I see… I can work on that but I don't suppose you would know any of his psychological information, do you?"

"I'm afraid not your majesty" the former margrave replied before turning to the screen again looking at a familiar pink haired girl. "Ah. Anya Altstream, the daughter of a duke of York vale. She became a natural in Knightmare combat at a very early age and was elevated in rank above all others. It brings back memories thinking about her"

"You sound like you know her" Lelouch noted his knight's tone. "Are you old acquaintances?"

"I'm actually surprised that you don't remember her, your highness" Jeremiah shared a small laugh with him. "After all the trouble she caused back at Aries Villa, I thought that you would recognize her already"

"My childhood didn't exactly end well in that garden?"

Jeremiah mentally smacked himself for bringing back such terrible memories. He knew better than to mention that old palace without a valid reason. "Forgive me. I was not thinking ahead"

"Anyway, our plans will succeed more smoothly than I thought it would. If everything goes according to my prediction, then the Federation will break apart, making it easier for me to take over. The plan is just too brilliant even for my standards"

"I'm amazed. You actually thought of all of this in just a short span of time"

"Oh it's not mine" Lelouch corrected. "I simply stole it from a libertine soldier who seemed to be serving another master. All I need to do is add a few more details to the finishing touches. (click) Rakshata…"

"Yes?" the said scientist came up on screen. Though she can hear him, Rakshata could not see his face due to the face block countermeasure that Lelouch installed in his computer system. "What is it?"

"I need you to prep all of our ground force Knightmares with amphibious leg strains. (Huh?) I have a feeling that we will be fighting on the field on water very soon. Have the engineers move the Ikaruga to Xiao Pei. The terrain there will be flat and easy to move"

"Very well. I don't know what game you're trying to play but I can do all the Knightmares overnight. Ta ta" and with that, Rakshata's face went off screen.

Lelouch opened the com, revealing Diethard's face. "Diethard. What's the status of the media?"

"All twenty two stations are under our control" he replied. Diethard always knew how to work with the media force and this was no exception either. "I'll be returning to the Ikaruga soon. As for the contact works that you instructed, I'll have them sent over to you as soon as possible. Preferably before the wedding"

"Good…"

Lelouch pressed the com channel again, switching to a hidden frequency. After awhile, the face of a rather red Lloyd Asplund came onto screen. "Lloyd, what's the progress of the Kni--…" he then noticed that the traitorous scientist was dressed in a rather dashing tuxedo. His face was flushing red as a ripe tomato and his breath were erratic at best. "What's going on over there?"

"Uh… oh nothing!" Lord Asplund responded in his usual carefree tone. He was sweating buckets and his tux seemed to be wrinkled like he just went through a wrestling match. "The fellows and I are just having a little party for the night. You know… well… um… in celebration of the Empress's wedding tomorrow, ahehehe"

Lelouch raised a brow, but decided to ignore it. The man was weird in more ways than one so it's best not to try and understand him. "I assume the Knightmares are completed?"

"Knightmares? Oh yes of course they are!" Lloyd replied proudly. "Ready and waiting since yesterday if I do say so myself. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed my lord. We've even had Lord Elie and Lady Monica field test them today. They passed with splendid colors my lord"

"Excellent. Have them loaded onto the carrier and meet us at the designated location. The time for action is now"

**(Luoyang Forbidden City) (Grand ceremonial hall)**

If one would want a wedding, what do you think the bride and groom would usually want? Of course when it's a grand royal wedding such as this there would be friends and family from all over, attending to it. The bride would love flowers of her choice placed lavishly around the room, coloring the plain hall with its beauty. Bridesmaids will walk pass the isle dropping rice on the floor as a sign of good luck and if possible, a beautiful altar built on a lake with dolphins and swans swimming around freely.

The groom of course would love nothing but to see his bride and get this wedding over with. He would make commentary jokes at times trying to lighten up the mood but of course you won't hear something like that from a royal prince. Even though no groom would say this out loud at first, they would want their wedding done in a unique way with fighter planes, fireworks, soldiers raising their swords at attention like being honored a medal for his heroic deeds. But such things would be done at a later time.

However… what both the bride and groom could agree on was one thing. They both hate wedding crashers. And right now… that was exactly what was going on in this wedding.

"We ask, this question! By the voice heaven, the roar of the land and the hearts of the people! How does this marriage represent the will of the Chinese Federation!"

"Xingke!" the High Eunuchs gasped along with several other guests who were attending to the ceremony. "Have you lost your mind!"

Xingke, the young dragon of the Chinese Army had barged into the hall unannounced and uninvited along with six of his men armed with swords and spears. Using firearms here would only surely wound innocent bystanders.

"Be silence Xiao Ho! In the name of my fellow countrymen, I challenge the legality of this wedding!" he then charged into the fray, against a batch of Forbidden City royal guards. But alas, the skills of Xingke was definitely unmatched. In melee combat, he was superior against all.

"Hold them back!"

"Don't let him get to the altar!"

Slash!

One of the guards fall and quickly the other members of Xingke's escorts charged in creating panic and chaos in the room. The sooner they were out of there the less chance they had of not getting killed.

Immediately, Xingke's plans turned into motion. Outside the Forbidden City of Luoyang, hundreds of Knightmares poured in from the barracks of the city and soldiers of the coup began their descent against the city guards. Unprepared and unarmed, the guards were quickly overrun by the enemy force.

Inside the command center of the capital's defense, Xianglin was already present, commandeering the whole defense network.

"_It's strange…"_ Xingke thought to himself, a strange smile growing on his face. _"As much as I pray to save my starving people, I can only think about her majesty's welfare"_ he parried an attack and then countered it with his fist. "Right now… I must… fight for her highness sake!"

Two more guards fall under the dragon's blade but more kept filling in their shoes.

"Traitor! You think the empress belongs to you and no other!"

"_That's right… I have no idea whether my actions is in accordance with her majesty's wishes. She may not even have the faintest memory of what occurred six years ago. But no matter"_ Xingke grinned. Already his eyes were set with determination. _"I made an everlasting promise to her majesty in return for sparing my life! A vow I swore in my heart!"_

"I will take her…… to the outside world!"

"Good heavens!" Odysseus quickly rushed to Tianzi's side using himself as a shield. Despite being a coward and incompetent he knew that he had to be the man to protect this girl from harm. "Tianzi, stay behind me. No matter what happens, stay with me"

"But wait!" the empress tried to speak but her words fell to deaf ears. Alas her voice finally broke out, speaking the name of her first love. "Xingke!"

The room went silent as if the voice of the goddess came to be. Tianzi raised her hand, showing the pinky swear she made with the man. "Xingke!" she repeated.

Immediately the young dragon of the Chinese Federation was ecstatic. "She does…… she remembers!" he parried another strike and sent three of the guards off, his heart lifted from the shadow. "In my heart… there is no more doubt!"

He rushed off to grab her majesty from the altar, hoping to sweep her off her feet. Three guards barred his path but before he could strike them, a familiar black flag came over, shrouding the altar in darkness. The guards froze, Xingke froze. Suzaku gritted his teeth while Schneizel only sighed to their new uninvited guest.

Zero, the ruler of the Black Empire was now present. Along with him were four Black Knights armed to the teeth with full body armor and heavy assault rifles. They came here under the command of the Black King, and denying his rule is not an option.

"Greetings. Forgive me for being late… your majesty" Zero bowed his head to the empress on the altar inwardly smiling happily to himself. "I… am Zero…… the man who grants wishes to those in need"

Xingke motioned cautiously to the man, keeping his distance from the bodyguards. "Zero, what is the meaning of this?"

"Don't move!" the Black Knight soldier readied his weapon. "Not a step closer"

"I thought the Black Knights owed us for what we did for them in Horai Island?"

"Which is exactly why I am granting the empress her wish" Zero explained in a strange manner. His words were twisted just as he wanted them to be. No one understood what he meant but his charisma says it all. "In return for protecting us from the horrid crimes and the tyranny of the High Eunuchs, I hereby grant her wish most dire: I shall be the one who will take her…… to the outside world!"


	23. A Clown's Romance Story LD 1

**Chapter 23: A Clown's Romance Story (Lost Diary 1)**

**(Burma) (Rangoon/Yangon) (Camelot Research team facility) (Warehouse 13)**

A few days before the wedding crashers stormed Luoyang Forbidden City.

Warehouse 13, a small building located deep within the docks of Yangon, the largest city of Burma. It was a large building made out of plank wood, iron and cement ranging up to ten acres enough to house a small group of tanks. At the naked eye, it would look like any regular building among the vast network of warehouses located there. This particular building was purchased by Lelouch Lamperouge of the Britannian nobility and was given free reign to store whatever he wanted inside so long as all items came pass the proper inspection ports.

Inside you will find hundreds of boxes, crates and a Glasgow used for heavy duty work and nothing would be the wiser thinking that this was just another area where they store grain and food supply. But deep at the row of blue containers marked 'BK' was a secret elevator that would take you to an underground facility where the Black Knights were carrying their dastardly research.

Inside, you will find yourself thinking that you've been transported to another world of steel, metal and fire entirely. At the center point of the facility stood a familiar giant airship, the Avalon which was stolen by the Black Knights during the Black Rebellion. Now it served as a tool for the Black King's dark deeds.

"Haaaaa…" that was the sound of Cecile Croomy, the prodigy of Britannia, yawning at the sight of her work. Even though she now worked for a different lord and a different country, she still retained her work as a scientist. Numbers were her children and it was her duty to solve their problems no matter what they may be.

The Camelot research team stationed here would've felt like prisoners held against their will, but in all honesty they didn't have much of a choice. Immediately after Zero released them from prison, Lloyd game them a choice to return to the homeland, but instead found themselves working under him once again. If they returned to the homeland now they would simply become martyrs and framed as traitors to the empire no matter what logical excuse they have up their sleeves.

But when they joined up with Zero, they found their lives to be surprisingly smooth and well taken care of. Zero had provided all to their basic needs as well as stress needs. They were all given new identities, new passports forged from deceased military staff. Funding for their new project came with privileges. They can freely roam the city at their leisure without fear of assassination since no one knew what they did for a living. Weekly allowances passed off through Elie's account, and time off to whatever they desired.

It felt more like they were on a vacation rather than work. Their living quarters were also at the lab where Lloyd pretty much stayed in.

"Oh golly, another all-nighter. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up to watch that movie after all"

"Good morning, rise and shine~~ up and at'em Cecile, we've got a big day ahead of us and I don't want us falling behind schedule now" Lloyd Asplund, the genius of Britannia knocked on her bedroom door before turning himself to the lab to continue working on the weapon project that Zero assigned him.

"We're actually ahead of schedule" she muttered back before changing into her lab coat. The bright orange and black Britannian uniforms were all gone now thanks to the rebellion and were pretty much out of date.

By the time she got to the labs, only Lloyd and herself were present. The other scientists were busy repairing the two Knightmares that were in the hanger bay next to the Avalon.

"You're 2.6 seconds late" Lloyd said playfully. "You missed breakfast this morning. Had a rough night?"

"Just another late night movie" Cecile replied before taking her seat. "What do we have for today?"

"The linkage line on the Merlin is erratic again. Elie is complaining that there's something wrong with the sub-weapon accuracy and wants another check on it"

"He's certainly making sure that the weapons suits to their fighting needs"

"He's not as idealistic as Suzaku so you'll hear him complain a lot. As for the Constantine however… it seems like ammunition is the problem"

"That's no surprise there" Cecile added with a sigh. "Seeing how it's pretty much a moving fortress, it'll be quite a burden just to move it around. Anyway I should probably…"

Beep beep beep…

Her phone interrupted her sentence. She quickly picked it up and noticed a text message on screen. "Oh?"

"Another date plan?" Lloyd teased "My my, aren't you the popular one. That's the third one this week and it's barely even Tuesday"

"It's just another getting together with a friend. There's no need to consider it a date" Cecile replied strictly. "Besides, this person is well refined and has a good reputation with the neighborhood. He doesn't smoke and his doesn't drink either. A man of that caliber is rare in this world"

"Yes. I supposed so" Lloyd then looked at the screen and pressed the button for the speaker. "Alright everyone at the lower deck, please try converting the Merlin's energy filler to a two-twenty instead. The less stress on the capacitator may fix the problem. Oh and that reminds me. It's almost time for lunch. Who drew the short straw this morning? Don't forget to buy take out on your way back. I want the same old pudding if you don't mind"

"Yes sir" the guys at the deck replied waving back at him.

But the Cecile got an idea. "Oh? Why don't I cook for you guys instead? It'll be a lot cheaper than buying take out again and it'll be fun" every scientist in the hanger and lab felt a cold deathly chill run down their spine. In the few weeks they've experienced Cecile's cooking many of them had to take a sick leave. Lloyd of course was especially smacked down cold when he ate the meatloaf crammed with peanut butter, soy sauce, wasabi and bacon oil. That very day, he feared that the doctors will have to use the stomach pump to get the poison out of him.

After that fateful event, the other members of the Camelot team had to make sure that they had an emergency supply of food waiting for them in case Cecile tried to storm the kitchen making her deathly dishes.

"Uh… that won't be necessary" Lloyd muttered quickly jumping off his seat. "You have a date don't you? You don't want to keep your partner waiting so off you go! Ahehehehe!"

"But the date isn't until tonight"

"Take the day off! Please I insist!" he begged more likely. "You've been working rather hard this week so surely you don't need to do anything at all"

"Oh… alright I guess. I could use the time to get myself some new shoes"

"Please use my credit card!" Lloyd ruffled through his jacket procuring an ATM card. "Lunch and dinner are on me. Have a blast! Go now, chop chop!"

"Oh… ok? Bye then" Cecile was pushed out of the door with a puzzled look. Perhaps she was working a bit hard for herself.

Once the Death-Chef was out of the room, the whole lab gave out a relieved sigh. Compared to the money Cecile was about to spend, it was a small price to pay for the life they were spared.

"She really is one heck of a killer cook" Elie's voice entered the lab when Cecile was finally off earshot. He was dressed in a normal businessman attire as a cover up story for his presence here in Burma. He was acting as a representative for the Britannia's new fertilizer company which he owned back at the homeland. "It's a shame no one can tell her that directly"

"Not unless you're willing to get a black eye for the team" Lloyd countered waving his arms around. "In any case my lord, your Knightmare is just about ready. We've fixed the hydro-electrical system that was causing all that annoying noise earlier. The unit should operate about sixty percent better than the last performance"

"Great. At least we won't an energy overload like last time. That incident nearly fried my head. I had to wait for a week to grow my hair back to its natural state"

"A minor miscalculation. It was a good thing you were wearing Rakshata's pilot armor. At least with that, your skin isn't burnt to a crisp"

"Thank you for small mercies" Elie shot back. "But anyway… have you solved the Constantine munitions problem?"

"We have several ways to fix that problem however all theories results into decreasing the unit's firepower by a significant margin" Lloyd looked up at the larger of the two frames knowing well that it won't last without an extra truck loaded with bullets. "Haaaaa… the Constantine. Such an expensive toy to maintain. It cost just about two hundred thousand credits of Britannia's taxpayer money just to let it operate on the battlefield for five minutes"

"Well I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually" Elie stated before looking at his watch. "Anyway, I'm late for a meeting with Monica. Keep me updated if anything should change. Also… master Zero is going to be making his move soon. Have the Avalon checked up just in case he should call for an immediate launch"

"Yes of course my lord"

**(Shopping district)**

Cecile went out to the downtown district that afternoon, window shopping at all the stores she came across. As she saw how the people went by their daily lives in this area she totally forgot that there was a war happening on the other side of the planet. In a matter of days or weeks, this place too will lose its peace and will eventually have to surrender to one side. Neutrality has been scarce as of late. If you're not with one side then you're with the other. No questions asked.

"Oh my how cute" she noted a cute little puppy on the window sales area looking up to her with its big round eyes. "I'm sorry little guy. I'd love to bring you with me but I'm afraid I just don't have time for pets right now. Maybe one day you'll find yourself a good home to live in" she looked at her watch and noted the time. "Well I'd better get ready for my date. Maybe I should change into something fancy"

Hours later, she arrived at the designated spot where her date was already waiting for her. Apparently the man was a half European aristocrat who was working abroad for a time. He arrived at the rendezvous point an hour early which was good for all dates.

The time went by rather quickly for Cecile. Even though she enjoyed every moment of it, something felt awfully off. The first stop was a restaurant for a perfect lunch. The meal was exquisite and satisfying. During that time the two of them chatted and laughed most of the time. Afterwards, the man led Cecile to a movie house to watch the latest movies on screen. A cheesy romance story at best. Once the movie was done they went off to the carnival that was in the city and rode the rides there. After an exciting afternoon, the two of them returned another restaurant to order their dinner for tonight. Again, the meal was exquisite.

If a girl were to go through this experience they would realize that it was one of the most romantic nights of their lives. Ok, so it may not be as gooey and romantic like Ted Mosby would have it in his Super Date in How I met your Mother, but still it was romantic.

After one incredible day, Cecile returned to their meeting spot by the giant fountain. There was no one there and the two of them were left alone for their final romantic departure. She expected a romantic kiss at first but her mind quickly spiraled out of control when he offered to let her meet his parents this weekend. She was ecstatic. A relationship that actually seems like it was going somewhere.

Her mouth opted to say yes, but before she could say one word out of her lips, a thought came to mind. This was not right. Sure she wanted to be with someone who had a great personality, future plans and wealth but it did not seem right. She politely declined the man's invite and ran as fast as she could towards the docks.

Sadness and shame filled her as she ran. The marred roads were blinded as she cried. She looked up at the sky and noted the evening sunset donning away by the rain clouds. Water poured forth not long afterwards, ruining her perfect date suit.

Eventually her long high heeled shoes snapped in half leaving her to fall on the wet pavement.

She cried pathetically to herself. She cried how idiotic she was to actually think that she would find her own happy ending here in a stranger's city. She looked around attempting to find shelter from the rain but sadly there were none. Eventually her fatigue kicked in and quickly she placed her back on one of the closed stores. She didn't mind the rain now. In fact she welcomed it even. It hid her tears of sadness for once.

But just as she let her breathing rhythm calm, she noticed the rain around her suddenly stop as if by magic. She wondered at first if she had suddenly become numb or deaf. But when she looked up she noted that someone had kindly held an umbrella over her head.

"If you keep that up, you'll eventually catch a cold, you know?" Cecile recognized that voice and that constantly smiling face easily anywhere.

"Lloyd?"

"Howdy do. I was wondering what took you so long from your date" the sociopath scientist mocked. His lab coat replaced with a vest and long baggy pants and in his arms carrying what appeared to be groceries.

"Wh… what are you doing here?" Cecile asked quickly standing back up. She didn't notice her tears were still falling until Lloyd handed over his handkerchief. "I… I'm not crying"

"Of course… the rain just got to you" he replied holding a small smile. "And to answer your previous question, I just happen to be buying groceries from the nearby store. I pulled the short straw on this one and to what coincidence that I would find you here of all places? Judging by the state of your dress and your wreck shoes I'd say your date went great. (I'm not even counting your tears for that fact)"

"I… I don't know what happened. I just… felt like running away"

"Love is such an abstract thing. So strong yet ironically a very fragile thing. The same as trust. It takes a long while to build but so easily destroyed"

"It just didn't feel right for me"

"Then perhaps your heart was telling you something that even you don't understand. Oh the sweet irony of having a heart" he sighed after seeing her disdain. "Well come on now. Let's go home"

**(Camelot Research Base)**

The trip back to the labs was a quiet one at that. Cecile felt gloomy and the strong rain that poured on them wasn't helping either. Only Lloyd's coincidental arrival somehow managed to save her dress from being ruined. He gently placed the umbrella over her head trying as best he could not to get either of them wet.

The guards at the docks did not question them. Knowing Zero, he probably bribed these men handsomely or secretly added into the security roster to act as guards.

By the time the two scientists arrived at their secret lab, Lloyd gladly distributed the take home meal and escorted Cecile to her room. He wasn't the type to concern for others but Cecile was a special case in that matter. She was a genius mind and probably the only person in the world who could put up with Asplund's strange personality.

"Well then, are you ready to talk about it?" Cecile whipped her head around to meet Lloyd's smirky gaze. "Please don't try to play to innocent act. I've known you long enough to know when you need someone to talk to. You're easier to read than a fifth grader reading an algebra textbook"

Cecil was down in the dumps. She really did want to talk about it but her mind couldn't find the right words to describe it. The man she dated earlier was everything she wanted and perhaps even more. But her mind just told her to run and before she could even find an excuse on why, her legs already bolted off. Her mouth opened but no words came. Her eyes simply darted towards the bed which she so wanted to lie on right now.

"I don't know if I can explain it properly" she said finally after a long pause. "When I met the man he was everything I wished for. I don't know why I bolted off like that. Maybe I was just afraid for him since I can't exactly be in a relationship and be in the Black Knights at the same time"

"Relationships and work are mortal enemies" Lloyd added grinning even wider if that was even humanly possible. "If you ally yourself with one then it'll spark up with the other. Only in rare occasions can you find a balance between the two"

"You sound like someone who's been to a lot of dates"

"I was an Earl back when I was still a child, if you recall" Lloyd shot back. "My parents often set me up with a marriage meeting with another noble daughter and I've been receiving a line of suitors on a daily basis. Those parents of mine are so full of themselves"

"Well this is rare" Cecile let out a smile. "This is the first time I've ever heard you speak of your parents before. Usually you would dodge the question entirely or make up some story to stray us from the whole reason entirely"

The man rubbed the back of his head giving another smirk. "It's not the most joyous topic in my childhood. Sometimes it's better for some things to remain a secret. Kulas once said to me that ignorance is bliss and I agree with him entirely"

"Kulas?" Cecile recalled that name. "You mean Ms. Chawla's late-fiancé?"

"The very same. That man was a genius compared to all of us" Lloyd let out a laugh. "But in any case, why don't I take you out on a date tomorrow?"

Cecile nearly blurted the cup of water she was drinking when Lloyd made his proposal. "W… wh… what? What do you mean by that?"

"Well it's obvious to me now that you're never going to get a steady relationship outside of the research lab so why not try a different specimen like myself?"

Cecile's mind scrambled. This was unheard of for Lloyd to be asking her out on a date. It was so casual and so unexpected, just like something that only he would do. Perhaps it was just another trap to embarrass or annoy her.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow around… the evening. Toodles"

"Wa…wait a minute!" the blue haired scientist blurted out. "Who said I would agree with this?"

Lloyd looked back boorishly without a hint of any emotion on his face. "What? Something wrong? I didn't hear you object to it"

"But… but I..."

"Well then. If you have no objections, I'll be seeing you tomorrow around oh… seven-ish. Bye bye"

And with that, the man was gone. Back to his labs to think and calculate on the Knightmares' incredible capabilities. Hopefully by then he would gain some sense of humanity.

**(The following day) (Camelot Research Base) (Knightmare simulation test)**

Elie Deledantes and Monica Kruszewski were in the Knightmare simulation room that morning. After hearing Lloyd's checkup on the Knightmares, the evil genius thought that it would be best to get pilots to test them out. Unlike the time he had with Suzaku and the Lancelot, Lloyd was forced to have the cockpits of the Knightmares detached and allow the pilots to simulate themselves on the battlefield using virtual animation training.

The results that came in were usually inconceivable and based mostly on A.I. scoring which was lame and stupid for him. He's been through an arcade and believed that even those fifth graders had a better shot at aiming for 100-percent accuracy than any Britannian pilot. Just thinking about that almost made him wish that he had a way to brainwash children into becoming mindless drones who think they are playing a video game.

The carnage and destruction they would cause just by riding on a mere Sutherland was already terrifying. A game with no reset button and only one life to go on. No extra coins to buy extra turns either.

Oh just the mere thought of it gave him goosebumps. (Heck even I'm having them just thinking about it)

"How's the score hanging Lloyd?" Elie asked through the monitor.

The former Earl let out a bored yawn. "Yes yes. The scores exceeded your previous one. Artificial Intelligence is really quite entertaining these days. How I only wish we could get some real field testing"

"Well it'll have to do for now. The Merlin works like a charm and all the kinks are gone too. How about the Constantine?"

"The problem on the Constantine isn't in the software or the hardware. The problem lies on ammunition and weight. Thanks to the ordinance it's carrying, even three FLOAT systems won't be able to get it to fly for long. It's no more than a giant walking fortress"

"Well it's better than nothing" Elie waved it off before exiting the simulation drive. "Well that should be it for today. The last test on the unit. We'll just have to leave the Constantine's munitions situation on the field. As long as it can fight, that's good enough. Monica, that'll be enough for today. Let's head back to the hotel and we can check out for master Zero's call. Now that the wedding plan has started I doubt that he'll sit still for long"

"Yes of course…" Monica's monotone voice was like that of a robot. No matter how many times the scientists and engineers looked at it they still couldn't believe that a royal knight of the emperor would actually turncoat on them. It was like Luigi conspiring with Wario and King Kuppa against Mario.

By the time the two knights of Zero were out of the base, Cecile grumbled in. "It's still hard to believe… isn't it?"

"Yes indeed" Lloyd agreed entirely. "Monica Kruszewski, the Honorable Knight of Twelve of his royal majesty, siding with the Black Knights? That is most unheard of. Even I should know the fierce loyalty of the Knights of the Round"

"I can understand Elie but I can't seem to pin down the reason for Lord Jeremiah and Monica. They are both nobles by birth and hold distinguished titles in the homeland" Cecile reasoned pointing out that they were important figures back home. "How does Zero manage to earn their loyalties and trust so easily?"

"Makes you think that something bigger is pulling the strings, doesn't it?" Lloyd added with a laugh. "Well in any case, I guess that wraps up our line of work" he then walked up to the microphone and yelled out to the staff. "Alright everyone, that's it for today. No need to do any more work. Congratulations on getting this far but that's about all we can do. So enjoy the rest of the day and report back here tomorrow at ten o'clock sharp. Todleloo~~"

The day went on without much anticipation. Quickly the lab room emptied and by the time evening struck, the place was pretty much abandoned save for Lloyd who pretty much didn't want to go anywhere. A grin plastered on his face knowing well what actions Cecile would be taking at this moment.

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Cecile was dressed up in casual clothing for once. Being stuck in a uniform and tight dress all the time it was nice to let herself loose once in awhile. It was almost time for her forced date with Lloyd but she didn't expect much from a man who sold his soul to the devil of knowledge. For all she know he'd probably take her to a fast food joint or a science convention at best.

Knock knock…

She approached the door and opened it but then to her amazement, Lloyd was there right on time, dressed in a splendid tuxedo and bowtie. He really did look like a noble in that attire.

"Lloyd?" Cecile questioned the man's looks with a raised brow. She scanned around and saw nothing on his hands. No bushel of flowers or chocolates. How unromantic of him.

"Well now. Aren't you a little underdressed for our date. Not taking me seriously, are you?" he mused with his hand over his head. "I guess that's no big surprise. Come along now. We have a big night waiting for us"

"Uh… oh… hey wait!" Cecile grabbed her purse and caught up with the deranged scientist only to find out that he wasn't heading towards the elevator. "Lloyd. Aren't we going outside?"

"Why bother?" he returned cockily opening the door the Knightmare hanger. "I always have my dates in my workplace. It saves the time of going to joyful fun rides and orchestra. I find it less stressing and good for my skin" he then escorted Cecile to the heavy duty elevator which was used to transport ammo and energy fillers to the Knightmares. With a simple click the lift activated, raising them to the height of one of the Knightmare's belly.

Cecile came there a few times herself on the work platform. It was mostly used to hold ammunition for the Constantine. But today all the big giant crates were gone and were now replaced with a luxurious dining table with candlelight at the center.

"A candlelight dinner?" the blue haired scientist chuckled. "So much for the expensive candles now that we have all these lights on"

"Oh… on the contraire" Lloyd stole a smile before clapping his hands together twice. Immediately the lights in the lab switched off by themselves like magic. "I always wanted to do that"

"B… but how did you…?" Cecile was baffled by the sudden darkness quietly yelping to herself. It took awhile for her eyes to readjust to the dark. But then suddenly she saw Lloyd lighting up a match from his pocket and passing the fire onto the candles. With one glance alone all the expensive lab equipment seemed like they were being camouflage by the shadows themselves. It only felt like the table and the two of them were in that room.

Cecile had to admit then that she was indeed impressed. The man must've put a lot of effort into preparing all this. The lights and the table must've been hard to do considering his size and strength.

And so as the gentleman that he once was, Lloyd opted to Cecile a chair and invited her over. The girl did not refuse and adjusted herself to the table. There were two shining plates in front and at the side of table was a bucket of ice and three bottles of finest champagne money could buy.

Unable to wait, Cecile opened up the pot on her plate. "Oh my… these are…"

"Your favorite dish" Lloyd presented gracefully and comically. "Covey beef lobster. A very exquisite delicacy I might say so myself"

"How were you able to do all this?"

"Now now. If one asked how the trick was done, the magician loses his magic"

Cecile was baffled but happy nonetheless. "Well then. Don't mind if I take the first bite. (Chomp!) (crunch, crunch) It's delicious! Just like back home"

"Well I'm glad you like it" Lloyd smiled before grabbing two wine glasses from the stand and popping the cork in one of the champagne bottles. "A toast to our first date then. As simple as it may be" they tapped their glasses and drank happily there like two friends going on their first romantic dinner date. But of course… that little feeling only lasted… oh I don't know… about five minutes before Lloyd reverted back to his old self. "Now then. Since we got all the pleasantries done. Let's begin, shall we?"

"Begin? Begin what?" Cecile looked puzzled.

"Well a date is supposed to be a moment where the two individuals get to learn more about one another" Lloyd added as if dropping common knowledge on a ten year old. "Come now. Even you should know about that. You've been on plenty of dates yourself… or are you too busy ripping your candidates off of their money?"

"What?" she snapped.

"Just kidding" the mad scientist coughed up loudly trying to change the subject. "So anyway… why don't you go first? Where do you live, Ms. Croomy? Before we met in the Colchester Imperial Institute, I remember seeing you in the volleyball team"

"Oh… I uh… well…" Cecile scrambled her minds for words. "Well I moved out of my parents house a few months before I enrolled in the institute. I rented a small apartment in the city and worked as an accountant for the Global Gen Bank"

"Ah… so where are your parents living now?"

"Don't you have my report in your roster?" she reasoned with a question.

"I tend to only look at the results you are able to give" he answered with a gesture of his hand. "Everything else seemed to be a blur to me. Where you come from and what your personal background is, is no concern of mine… as long as it's not too shady"

Cecile sighed. It really was Lloyd who was talking. It sounded like something he would do. "Well… my parents are currently living in a small town at the inland of **Hollington**"

"Were you close to them?"

"Well yes. Especially with my mother. She taught me how to cook after all"

A vein popped on Lloyd's head when he heard that. He quickly made a mental note to decline all meal invitation to Mrs. Croomy if he should ever have the chance. He didn't want to get the doctors to use the stomach pump on him again. The only person he knew who could take Cecile's cooking was Suzaku and sadly he wasn't there anymore.

"What about your father?"

"My father was well… different" Cecile added taking another bite off her lobster. "He's a farmer back home and my mother was a shopkeeper. He usually raises pigs and cattle in the ranch and grows corn at the back of our house. I used to play with the animals back there every day. Just thinking about reminds me how much I love my old puppy Benedict"

"Ah so you're an animal person, are you?" Lloyd smirked. "Who would've thought?"

"Alright now. What about you Lloyd? (Hmm?) Why don't you tell me about your parents?"

Lloyd backed down a little which was unlike him at all. Family was a somewhat touchy subject on his end. Thinking about it now he was regretting ever asking Cecile about her past.

"My family isn't all that interesting" he began with a small smile hiding his discomfort. "In fact… I barely remember much of my childhood. I was the youngest of four brothers and three sisters. My parents died when I was at the age of ten when they were on their anniversary trip to Hawaii"

"Oh…" Cecile covered her mouth in gasp.

"It's old news really" Lloyd added holding his head on one hand. "I never got along with my parents or any of my relatives for that matter so I didn't feel a thing. Every day I became more engrossed with science that politics never really even occurred to me. Before I knew it, my father's will state that title and deeds are to be passed down to me, and I became the next Earl by sunset. You wouldn't even begin to imagine the looks I got from my family"

"It must've been difficult. Living in those circumstances"

"Not at all. But in any case, that's how it is. They're still living in my house along with the fortune I've amassed during those past years working for prince Schneizel. I'm pretty sure after my so called 'death' my title went on to my uncle or cousin somewhere between the line"

"But don't you have at least one person who you cared about back then? Back during our time in Colchester. You should've at least got yourself a girlfriend"

"…" Lloyd paused as if recalling some old memories gone by. A girlfriend? He probably heard the word but never experienced one before. At least… he thought he didn't. "Anyway let us return to the matter at hand. So what do people normally do in dates? Other than getting to know each other. From a professional such as yourself, should know what is missing"

Cecile swallowed a chunk of her food before replying. "Well technically. A date isn't all about dinner and a romantic evening. Usually a pair would often go and see a concert or see a beautiful view. I went to see the fireworks over by Yangon city last night myself. It was beautiful"

"Why bother to go see a concert when you can see it here?" Lloyd tapped over his tuxedo suit which produced a strange SONY-TV remote. With a press of a button a large screen flipped open revealing BMTV channel (Britannia Music Television) which was showing the symphony orchestra at homeland. It was a giant flat screen television TV taped to the body of a Knightmare so it was hard to make out at first.

"Is that? The symphony orchestra?"

"The very same back at the homeland" he added smirking. "Oh and if you need the view, don't bother" and with another press of a button, hundreds of decorative lights lit all over the hanger completely coloring the whole lab with rainbows.

One would already see that Lloyd had put a lot of efforts into this. How he was able to prepare the television and the lights and the dinner without Cecile noticing was a mystery.

"H… how did you do all this?" Cecile asked baffled. She literally stood up from her chair and twirled around looking at all the lights creating a beautiful pattern. "How did you even tap with the power generators?"

"I didn't" he answered. "I just rewired it to the Merlin's energy filler"

"You're using the Merlin's power core to power all this?" the blue haired assistant shrieked. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Indeed it is" he replied in a carefree tone. "The worst case scenario, the electrical wiring system would overheat and blow every silicon system in this room. That would be quite the firework show, don't you agree?"

"Lloyd!"

"Relax. I'm only joking. I've made every possible countermeasure to prevent that from happening"

"Alright. That's enough. Give me that remote"

"You'll have to take it from me" he teased raising the remote in the air like a toy. "You'll know that I'm a very good dodger and you can't punch me like Suzaku did" he could still remember that fist that Kururugi gave him during the Black Rebellion.

"Lloyd!" Cecile began reaching out for the remote but her height left a lot to be desired since Lloyd was slightly taller than herself. Even with his harm he became almost about ½ way taller.

"Now now. Don't be cranky just because of a little thing" he teased her like a kid bullying a smaller kid by taking her drink. But then Lloyd forgot to incorporate the girl's weight so when she tackled him unintentionally they both fell head first on floor. "Ow…"

"This is all your fault" Cecile grumbled.

"Aha… he who smiles when things goes wrong, knows who to blame it on" Lloyd countered with his own joke of a metaphor. "Quite the troublemaker, aren't we?"

"Don't bring me into your lev…el…? (Hmm?)" It was then Cecile noted that the man was without his glasses. Now that his face was totally exposed and considering the proximity between their noses a blush began to form around her face.

Lloyd noticed her stutter and raised a brow. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't tell me you're falling for me already. And just so we're clear, I meant that both literally and metaphorically of course"

"Of course not!" Cecile shrugged away getting up from her lying down position. "I just tripped. Besides, you don't know the first thing of getting a girl's heart to fall for you" but just when she stood up, the locket on her neck snapped off, falling over the man's lap. "Oh…?"

Amazingly, Lloyd's eyes widened considerably as if struck by lightning. He reached out and grabbed the locket into his arms. He looked at and knew right away who it belonged to. "Where… where did you get this?"

"Oh that's right. I completely forgot" Cecile muddled to herself. "You dropped that during your last fight with Rakshata. I had it with me for awhile now. With so much going on, I forgot all about it. It's yours isn't it?"

Lloyd looked at the said object once more with strangely affectionate eyes before replying. "Yes. It is. Thank you"

"Eh?" Cecile was surprised. To actually hear the sociopath scientist say those words with such feeling was so… unnatural. It almost looked like he was abducted by aliens and replaced by another android. "I uh… you're welcome. But I'm surprised… I never thought you would have an heirloom with you"

"It's a gift actually…" the man replied dangling the said object in front of his face. "Someone gave it to me… a long time ago"

"Oh? Was it someone special?"

"You know, you really shouldn't pry on other people's privacy. It's extremely rude" Lloyd shot back a bit sourly. "Let's just say that an old acquaintance of mine gave it to me as an obligation present. It hardly holds any value"

"But it's a pretty locket and it has a special way of opening"

"Yes it does. I thank you for finding it for me" Lloyd then tucked the said object into his pocket knowing well that it wasn't a topic he would want to discuss openly. Well… at least not yet. "But back to the matter at hand. I've decided. Why don't you and I marry right here and now? (WHAT!) Let's face it. You and I will never find a pair that would work for us. With my title as an Earl gone and my ex-fiancée returned to the life of a commoner, my future seems pretty grim right now"

"That doesn't mean your future ends! You can't just make a declaration like that!"

"So when will we hold the wedding?" Lloyd asked, ignoring her berating entirely. "I don't like big parties so we'll probably just hold it in London. I've always wanted to see Paris for myself too"

"Are you even listening to me!"

"I didn't hear you refusing" he countered making the girl stutter. "Now then. Who should we invite?"

It was then Cecile decided to give up. Trying to talk her way into that madman's mind was like trying to drill a hole onto a chunk of iron using a blunt pencil. But for some reason, Lloyd was right. There may be no one in the world for her other than him. They were inseparable and now… with them working with the Black Knights… all chances for her to meet her perfect match… was gone.

"You really don't understand how a woman's heart works… do you Lloyd?

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?" the genius prodigy asked.

"I only wished that I could complete one ritual"

"A ritual? What are you talking abo…ut…?" before the man could finish, Cecile grabbed his face and forced her lips onto his. The whole world paused and Lloyd's eyes snapped with like two giant saucer plates. No words were able to escape his mouth since it was covered. He dropped the remote which first caused their argument and began thinking every plausible explanation. Even though his mind could calculate formulas and algebras in a fraction of second, all downloadable contents on explaining the situation dropped to nothingness. Heck, he didn't think Google and Yahoo had websites that would explain this theory.

After what felt like hours, Cecile broke the kiss and returned to her annoyed expression. "There. At least I completed that ritual"

For once in his entire life, Lloyd couldn't find the words to reply to that. He opened his mouth but all that were coming out were spit and random noise.

Beep beep, beep beep!

A communications channel suddenly entered, breaking the mood. Lloyd rushed over to the computer panel and accepted the call still worked up. He saw a 'Sound Only' popped up which meant that it was Zero. "Uh?"

"Lloyd, what's the progress on the Kni-…" Zero paused for a moment as if observing the scientist's attire. "What's going on over there?"

"Uh… oh nothing!" Lloyd replied a bit out of his character. He was sweating buckets and his suit was wrinkled like he went through some kind of struggle. "The fellows and I are just having a little party for the night. You know… well… um… in celebration for the Empress's wedding tomorrow, ahehehe"

Zero's voice didn't seem to buy the excuse but took it nonetheless. "I assume the Knightmares are completed?"

"Knightmares? Oh yes of course they are!" the man responded wagging his hips. "Ready and waiting since yesterday if I do say so myself. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed my lord. We've even had Lord Elie and Lady Monica field test them today. They passed with splendid colors my lord"

"Excellent" Zero sounded pleased to have his new toys ready. "Have them loaded onto the carrier and meet us at the designated location. The time for action is now" and with that, the communication was cut, leaving another awkward moment of silence between the two scientists.

A moment passed by before Lloyd was able to speak again. His face was all red but he hid it under his tux. Clearly the old emotions that he tried so hard to kill and lock away were resurfacing back to his heart. He readjusted his glasses and moved up to the elevator. "Well. Looks like play time's over. Got to get to work. Come on Cecile. Let's load them up!"

"Uh… sure…" Cecile followed, knowing well that she had just done the unthinkable. She was regretting her previous actions but saw it as a way to get back on the man for teasing her. Little did she realize that a chain of event will fall after this domino. What will happen next? Well no one knows.

Surely a highway of their romance will be upon them. And we all hope… a happy ending awaits them at the end of this strange road.


	24. The Dragon and the Demon

**Chapter 24: The Dragon and the Demon**

**(Luoyang) (Vermillion Forbidden City)**

Panic and screams were all that were heard in the area of the palace. Soldiers rushed in unable to differentiate friend from foe and civilians run for their lives afraid of the battle that was about to ensue.

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"Lady Xianglin" a soldier reported to the female officer in the command center. "The guests are fleeing the reception hall just as we predicted but we have reports that Zero has shown up as well"

"Zero!" she gasped before changing her com frequency. "Section 3, report your break in status. Master Xingke needs backup at once"

"Yes ma'am" the soldier replied. "We're just about to… huh? What the! The Black Knights! AHH! (Boom) (Static)"

"Section 3? Section 3, come in! What's going on over there?"

"This is Shi Huan!" another voice replaced the one that was lost earlier. "Lt. Fei has been killed! We've spotted Black Knight soldiers in the perimeter! They're armed with anti-tank weaponry! I'm counting at least six at the east wing!"

"Look out! Ahhhh! (Boom) (Static)"

"Section 3!" Xianglin gritted her teeth seeing how she easily lost contact with her units. The situation was getting dire and already she was getting similar reports coming from her other units as well. The Black Knights had turned the City Guards against themselves and were using the coup d'état to their advantage. _"Could it be…? Is Zero using our plan for his own purposes!"_

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"… I hereby grant her wish most dire: I shall be the one who will take her… to the outside world!" Zero declaration rung loud and clear to the people inside the great hall of the Forbidden City. A strange awkward silent moment passed by as the situation perceived. Xingke had just launched his coup d'état against the High Eunuchs and was prepared to rescue the princess from their clutches. It was all going so well until Zero appeared with a troupe of his personal forces.

"Take her to the outside… what does he…?" Xingke muttered in confusion watching Zero flapping his cape in front of the empress. He was about to charge in again when he noted his communicator beeping. "What is it?"

"Master Xingke, there's been a development!" Zhou Xianglin reported her voice sounding panicked and discomfort. "The Black Knights have taken over the Forbidden City! (What!) They've disguised themselves as guards and have now taken over half of the central compound! They're not only engaging our forces but the Forbidden City Guards as well! Hong Gu's unit is moving up to engage the but is under fire from anti-tank forces stationed at the tower!"

"Damn! Zero! You planned this from the start!" Xingke barked at the said vigilante.

"Indeed I have…" he laughed. Amused at the sight of those below him cowering in fear. "And I intend to carry it all the way!"

"What are you planning!"

"Xingke… you think you can free the empress alone?" Zero asked chuckling at the hero wanabe. "How sadly mistaken you truly are"

Immediately the Black Knight soldiers that accompanied Zero began raining a barrage at the oncoming guards that appeared from the side of the hall. A firefight ensued creating a bloodbath among the Forbidden City soldiers.

"Protect Master Zero!" a Black Knight infantry commander ordered to his troops who quickly followed and began firing.

Zero humored and was not even afraid to get shot by a stray bullet. He slowly approached the altar where Odysseus was now standing between him and the empress. "Odysseus eu Britannia, the first Prince of Britannia. Please step aside. I do not wish to kill you… yet"

"Z… Zero" the prince was already shaking under his robes with the mere sight of the man. He was prepared to move but when he saw Tianzi cowering behind him, his fear were drowned out by his immeasurable courage. "N… no! There's no need to cause violence here. Take me instead of her"

Zero was actually surprised to hear Odysseus offer himself in exchange of the empress as a hostage. Truly he would be a great prisoner of war but alas the mission came first. The vigilante then noted Gino, the Knight of the Round slowly sneaking up from his side. But before he could leap in to attack, Zero pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Odysseus's head. "That would be far enough… Gino Weinberg. Truly you wouldn't wish the brains of a royal family member to be plastered on the wall now… do you?"

"Ghh… why you…" Gino gritted his teeth before hearing Prince Schneizel's signal to back off.

Zero then return his attention back to the prince in front of him. "I suggest you stand aside, Odysseus or I will shoot"

"I will not!" he countered trying to sound as commanding as possible. "You will not take her. As a prince of Britannia I will not stand aside to your cause"

Again, the dark master chuckled. Truly this was not the indecisive Odysseus that he played with back in Aries Villa. "I admire your courage good prince" it would've been so easy to just pull the trigger and kill the man right then and there but Zero did not want to seeing that he was the only friend that Nunnally had back at the homeland. So instead he decided to use a new kind of bait. "But I must remind you…" he aimed his pistol towards the priest who was supposedly the one to marry the two royals. "You… are not alone in this matter"

Kanon Maldini saw this and quickly gritted his teeth. "That wretched coward!"

Odysseus went into full panic mode. If he kept his brave face up it was only a matter of time before more innocent lives died in his place. But how was he to back out now after making such a declaration? To go back on his word was just… disgraceful.

"Stop it!" all eyes in the altar turned to the empress who shoved Odysseus away. "Stop bullying Ody!"

"Tianzi!" Odysseus bellowed, shocked by the girl's reprisal.

"I'll come with you. Just stop bullying him!" small drops of tears were forming around her eyes. Clearly this was a sign of a girl who did not understand what was going on and why were people dying in her name.

Zero quickly took this opportunity and grabbed the empress away while Gino came up in front of Odysseus becoming a human shield. "Flee while you still can your highness" the blonde Knight of the Round urged them to which Schneizel boringly agreed to.

"I guess it can't be helped. Let's go brother"

Odysseus flinched. "But what about the empress?"

"Let the soldiers handle that. We'll be caught in the crossfire if we remain" Schneizel signaled to Anya who quickly escorted them out of harm's way.

The High Eunuchs who were also present decided that it was also best that they leave. They were politicians, not fighters. "We should go too. Leave it to the soldiers"

Zero allowed Schneizel leave. After all, he was still going to be part of his plan. Once the Knights of the Round withdrew and the High Eunuch gone from the reception hall, the stage was now his for the taking. He cuddled the empress softly by his cloak and kept his weapon at bay. "It's almost time now"

"Zero!" Xingke yelled out before throwing his retractable dagger from his wrist. "You lowlife scum!" but before it made contact with the masked vigilante, Kallen appeared out the back of the altar, kicking the weapon away. "Tch! Kallen Kouzuki?" she was later joined with Chiba who carried an assault rifle and fired a hail of shots at Xingke who skillfully dodged them.

"Zero, the operation is on schedule" Chiba reported to her commander. "Sugiyama and Yoshida have distracted the Forbidden City Guards"

"Good" Zero returned the gesture when a Black Knightmare tore through the roof of the building carrying with it a cargo box which held the Gurren Mk II inside. "Enter phase 3 of our plan. Tohdoh, provide us cover! (Roger) Suigyama, Yoshida, return to the main hall. We're finished here"

"Roger! That!"

"Tohdoh… disable the Avalon"

"Understood" but just when Tohdoh was about to rush over to Schneizel's flagship, he noted a slash harken coming his way. "Damn… he's here already!"

Up above the sky, the Lancelot appeared with its now repaired helm. "I won't allow you to do what you please! Hands off the empress!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tohdoh gritted his teeth but engaged with the new enemy nonetheless. With his new Knightmare, the odds between them should be evenly matched somehow. "Suzaku Kururugi!"

"That voice? It can't be… master Tohdoh!"

"It looks like destiny has a funny way of letting us meet over and over" the samurai laughed bemused by the whole event. "I don't know whether to call this lucky or misfortune" he swung his booster blade upward in an arch crossing against the Lancelot's thick armor. "Damn… an impenetrable armor?"

"_Master Tohdoh is indeed a skilled fighter"_ Suzaku thought to himself as he battled his old master. _"Lord Guilford even said that they were equally matched during the Black Rebellion and he's supposedly to be the one who rebuilt the Japanese Military forces. So then why? Why is he with the Black Knights?"_

Tohdoh attacked again, this time striking from the Lancelot's blind spot. Their weapons clashed and came to a close deadlock. "Answer me this Suzaku (huh?)" Tohdoh began, breaking off their lock. "Why do you fight for Britannia? Why do you still struggle even after your homeland has been freed"

"And I will answer you just the same as I answered everyone else!" Suzaku shot back raising his sword again. "The freedom that Japan has earned… was through the blood of the innocents, the ideals of madman and the deaths of those who were fooled! Freedom has to be earned the correct way!"

"Is this because Zero murdered your princess? She was the one who ordered the slaughter of our people just to lure us out!" Tohdoh tried to reason but it somehow felt futile to try and convince the boy to join his side. "I don't know what your reasons are but they're idiotical and foolish! If you stand in my way then I will have no choice but to fight you"

"I wouldn't have it any other way… master!"

"Haaarrghhh!" the two great warriors clashed again in sky, bearing one hit after the other. The Lancelot pulled out its VARIS gun and began firing over, trying to hit the dark Knightmare from its blind spot. "Take your best shot at me Suzaku!"

"As you wish!" Suzaku aimed his gun and fired only to stunned, when the bullet deflected from a strange red barrier covering the front of Tohdoh. "That shield… it's the same system as the Guren?"

"So… it does work" Tohdoh commented on the shield approvingly, taking a mental note to thank Rakshata on showing him the operating manual for this machine. "With this Zangetsu, I can take on a class one warrior like Suzaku. I'll have to inform Asahina and Urabe later about this"

But Suzaku wasn't done yet. Even with the barrier, it only meant that his enemy has a powerful defensive capability against long ranged weapons. "Your shield may be strong, but it's not invincible! VARIS change to rapid fire mode! (You blinked!) What the!" Suzaku spun around, aiming his VARIS again at the Zangetsu. His VARIS was now armed and ready for multiple burst shot.

"Will you shoot at me in this position?" Tohdoh taunted clearly showing his skill and tactical thinking as a warrior.

Suzaku grunted knowing well that if he shot his VARIS, it could endanger not just the lives of civilians but the Royal Family members as well. "Damn… the Avalon is…" he then noted the Guren suddenly launching from the reception hall. "The Guren! Kallen!"

"Suzaku, I'll cut out battle short, right here and now!" Tohdoh leaped up higher into the sky, using the sun's ray to blot Suzaku of his movements. "Wind-Dragon-Striking-Blind-Tiger!"

"Damn!" Suzaku was blinded but not defenseless. He raised his sword and shield against his cockpit thinking that it was the most obvious spot where an enemy would strike but he didn't realize that Tohdoh struck his FLOAT unit. "He got my FLOAT unit?" but the White Death of Britannia wasn't going to call it quits just yet. Using all the limbs on his Knightmare, he struck against the Zangetsu's arm, damaging its armor.

"You really are persistent!" Tohdoh couldn't really tell if he just insulted him or praised him for that quality.

"Tohdoh…" Zero's voice echoed in from his communicator. "Ignore the Lancelot for now. Take out the anti-Knightmare cannons on the Forbidden City courtyard. We'll make our escape afterwards"

Tohdoh gritted hoping he could've continued the fight, but it seemed like the mission took priority. "Understood. Heading there now"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back inside the compound, Zero entered the large cargo container where the Guren was now hovering over. The guards that were present here had all been slain or withdrew to a better location so the Black Knights had control over the central compound of the Forbidden City. Now they only had to wait when Tohdoh finishes off the cannon which prevented their escape and the rest of the assault team to assemble.

"Master Zero" one of the soldiers reported to the dark king. "Sugiyama's group has arrived. We're just waiting for Yoshida and his men. Captain Tamaki and Lady Kaguya have departed to the Shen Shu ravine on a flatbed cargo transport and are waiting for us at the highway"

"Good. Everything is falling in place now" Zero nodded before dismissing the soldier. The place was in full lockdown so there was no chance a sniper could get a clear shot at him. Knowing that he was safe and the Zero squad next to him, the black king raised his phone. "Diethard. Everything has been taken cared of on my end. How's the media sector?"

**(CF-TV station)**

Diethard was in the central hub of the CF-TV station where the Federation's media network was being transferred in. Zero's order was simple. Get to the station and edit all footage that was brought in during the coup d'état. An easy task only meant for those in the intelligence agency of the Black Knights.

At first Diethard thought that he would find some resistance from the employees who were unwilling to cooperate so he brought a group of soldiers to arrest those who would resist. But to his surprise, when he got there, the manager of the station quickly gave up all the videos and ordered the whole station to take leave early. No one even questioned why the Black Knights were there either.

"We're editing the last of the videos now and deleting the original as planned" the media man reported back to his leader while hand-signaling the men at the computers on what to do. "Give me about an hour and we'll be done. There's also no need to worry about the other media sectors. Though some information got out to the public they are only rumors and speculations. Half of the pole thinks that the Black Knights are attacking and the other half is still undecided"

"Very well. I'll discuss the rest with Ohgi" Zero motioned to him, satisfied with the results. "Once you've finished up your part take your men and hide for awhile in one of our safe houses at the city. Once you've resupplied, take all available camera vans to Xiao Pei. Set up position in three different areas where you can view the entire Horai Island. We'll make a battle scene one that everyone hope to expect"

"Yes I understand the plan. We're prepping the last truck back at the hideout as we speak. The manager of the station was generous enough to provide us with his vehicles too. We have more than what we need"

"Right" Zero chuckled out loudly. Already getting goosebumps on what was about to happen. "I look forward to seeing your next report on television… Diethard" and with that, he hung up.

Diethard smirked as well as a script was being generated by one of his professional writers. Already he could see himself in the spotlight on every channel on television on earth, telling the world one of the greatest lie in the history of man. But even though his respect and awe for Zero has strengthened greatly, his mind could not help but wonder how the black king was able to pull this off. Surely, there weren't that many traitors in the Chinese Federation. The manager he could understand, but the employees here seemed to be following his orders without question. It was like they were hypnotized or something.

"_How ingenious. To use Xingke's coup d'état to spark to flare the rebellion all over the Federation. Now that the Chinese Federation army are pinned down on each sector, there won't be any reinforcements from Jakarta or Burma. But how are Zero's underground collaborators manage to pull this off? I'm sure that he has a system of spies of his own but a scale plan such as this would usually take weeks if not months. He only heard about the empress's wedding a few days ago. Could it be that he… predicted all of this all by himself?"_

"Mr. Diethard" one of the Black Knight officer called in. "The last camera truck is on its way to the safe house. We're now moving up to phase three of the plan"

"Good. Have everyone pack up. We'll be done within the hour"

**(The Forbidden City)**

"Zero…" Tohdoh called in through a communicator. "I've destroyed the last aerial-cannons. You're free and clear"

"Excellent… we'll move out now" Zero then noticed that Yoshida still wasn't there. "Where's Yoshida?"

"He's currently pinned down at the eastern complex" Chiba answered. "The Forbidden City Guard force seemed to have called up their reserve force earlier than we anticipated"

"I see…" if there was time, Zero would've ordered his men to get that guy out of there. But time was of the essence and it was only a matter of hours before Xingke returns with another group of his men to retake the empress. "There's no choice. We'll have to continue on with the plan without him"

"What? Are we… abandoning him?" Chiba gasped and so did Kallen.

"I gave specific orders to meet up with us at the reception hall" Zero reasoned back knowing well that this would be their reaction. "Those who fail to do so have failed. Besides… we don't have the time to rescue him. If we remain here we'll just caught up with the rest of them"

"But Zero!" Sugiyama butted in. "We can't just abandon him! He's our friend and our comrades are still fighting. If we leave him, he'll be killed"

"And if we remain we will be killed along with him" Zero snapped, making the others turn to him with fright. It was rare to even hear Zero raise his voice to this extent. Usually he would only pull that up when he's making one of his dramatic speeches or ordering troops on the battlefield. "I understand your feelings Sugiyama, but we don't have the time to argue. Yoshida is one of first original members of this order… it will be a heavy blow to us all"

"But… Zero…"

"It's alright Sugiyama" came Yoshida's voice on the com. It seemed like Zero intentionally made the man eavesdrop on their conversation. "I understand completely…"

"Yoshida!" Sugiyama beckoned to his friend.

"Zero…" Yoshida continued, ignoring his friend's plea. "You made a deal with all us back a year ago back in the Shinjuku Ghetto. You said that we were to follow you down to the very end, follow you even if it means our death, you would liberate Japan" a round of approval came from the group noting that he was right. "You fulfilled your end of the bargain and so in turn I will fulfill mine"

"Yoshida? What are you?"

"Sugiyama, Kallen… tell Ohgi and Inoue thanks for everything. Though she spent such a short time together… we were practically family. I really enjoyed our time with the Black Knights"

"Yoshida!" Kallen beckoned. The words of her comrade seemed so distant and so final, like it was the last time they were ever gonna speak together again. "What are you?"

"As a Black Knight soldier… I'll fight down to the very last!"

"Yoshida! Don't lost hope just yet! We'll come for you!"

"Don't bother" Yoshida snapped back at his friends. There was gunfire at the background of his voice and screams of deaths, probably from his squad mates. "I'm already down to my last three. There's no escape for me now"

"No…! Please! Yoshida!" Sugiyama called out but the man completely ignored his cries.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Down by the eastern complex, Yoshida dropped his radio transceiver and pulled out some kind of large grenade rack from his coat. There were Knightmares, soldiers and rocket troopers on all sides and he only had a few men left to command. There were bullet holes on his armor and some fire burning everywhere. If he didn't know any better, he believed that the Guards here were trying to burn them out.

Yoshida covered the bullet wound on his shoulder and smirked. Surely this wasn't the best place for a soldier like him to die, but hell, beggars can't be choosers.

With one maneuver, he snapped open the rack of grenades and grinned.

"Down with Britannia! Long live Zero!"

…

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A large explosion occurred, shaking the entire palace to its very core. Every man and woman in the reception hall were silent as the signal from the com turned to static. The voice of the once proud member of the Black Knight, was gone.

"Let's go…" Zero said to them not even flinching from the man's death. "There's still much we need to do"

Sugiyama nodded hesitantly at the supreme commander. A part of him wanted to snap out but after hearing Yoshida's words just seconds ago made him stop. Shouting at the masked vigilante now would simply insult his death.

In a matter of moments, the whole Black Knight assault team boarded the box and lifted off towards the edge of the Forbidden City. The chaos that ensued in the city below them masked their presence well at this point. Xingke's forces were already in combat with the High Eunuchs personal army which also bought them much time.

With the Empress in Zero's hands and the Chinese Federation capital in turmoil, the Black Knights completed the first half of their plans to demolish the Eastern Government Superpower.

**(Ashford University) (Student Council building)**

Rivalz's eyes twitched that evening when he arrived late at the student council building. Some would say that he was born will that trait and some say that you would earn it if you were placed in too much stress. If one would look at him now, you couldn't but think that the large stacks of papers had played a part in it.

"Ughh! What the heck is wrong is with these guys!" he yelled out finally at the top of his lungs, shaking the whole room down to the very roots. "Leaving all the work to me again! Don't these people know how seriously backtrack we are! The budget lines are piling up, the student clubs are up to their necks and now everyone's gone! Why do I even bother! Lelouch and Rolo are gone again back to their home! Milly is having another dinner date and now Shirley's out with her friends"

He slumped back to the table whacking his face on the first of many piles of report paper that were due tomorrow. "I wish Nina was here. She's usually the one who would handle this large stack of work. Ugh… if only those lazy guys would get back here and put their paces to work"

Suddenly, the door to the student council room opened up. Rivalz was expecting one of Lelouch's maids to come and do her usual clean up, but to his surprise, it was Shirley at the door.

"Hey Rivalz" the girl was wearing her outdoor attire which meant she just recently came back from her trip.

"Oh…" the boy was slightly surprised by his friend's appearance. "Hey Shirley. I thought you went out with your friends"

"I did but I got a little sick half way to the mall so I came back" she explained taking a seat on the opposite side of the table where Arthur was quietly napping on a roll of cotton. "I accidentally took too much of my vitamin pills so the nurse told me that I'm a bit overdosed"

"Pills?" the blue haired boy questioned before remembering the pills that the red head had been taking on a daily basis. "Oh those things. You had a body problem because your body doesn't have enough iron. That diet of yours must really be taking its toll on you. The next thing you know you'll be all skin and bones. (Hey!) Oh relax. Besides I'm not surprise. Those things were pretty much like water to you. You were practically taking those pills before… well… everything. Before you go to sleep, before you go to class, before you go swimming before you take a snack or any meal for that matter, and before you go the bathroom too"

"Hey how'd you know about that?"

"Sophie told me" he answered. "You know how she likes to peep at other women in the bathroom"

"Hey now! Gross!"

"Oh relax. It's not like I would go through your dresser like she does. (Rivalz!) Ok ok, I'll stop. But now that you're here, why don't you help me with all these paper work that's been piling up?"

"Fine. But only because you ask… ugh…" a jolt of pain rushed to Shirley's left eye making her shield it with her hand.

Rivalz noticed this and questioned. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Oh… oh it's nothing" she tried to wave it off but failed. "It's that every time I stop taking my pills my left eye usually hurts. It'll go away… s… soon" she reached out to pet Arthur, but when her hands touched the cat's fur, Arthur hissed back threateningly at her. "H… hey what's the deal Arthur?"

"Whoa… I've never heard Arthur hiss like that before" Rivalz looked at the cat amazed.

"Me too. It usually likes it when I pet it… ughh!" again another painful jolt came to her eye, but this time more powerful than the others.

"Hey. You sure you're alright? You look kind of pale"

"D… don't worry. I'm fine… really it's… nothing. It's just… ugh!" the pain came again and even more powerful than the last. It almost felt as if something was poking a dirty needle from the pupils of her eye. Shirley covered her eye again but this time with both hands. Arthur noticed this and suddenly dashed off hissing like it knew something the humans did not.

"Hey! Shirley, are you ok?" Rivalz was now worried as he saw the color drained from Shirley's face. "Shirley?"

Thump…

Shirley dropped on the ground with a defining thud. Her hands slipped over to the papers she was working on, messing them across the room. The pain in her eye continued even when she was knocked out already.

"Shirley!" Rivalz rushed over to her and tried to shake the girl up. "Hey! Don't kid around! If this is a prank, it's not funny!" he then noticed that the girl was bleeding through her eyes. "Oh no" with his mind in full panic, the blue haired secretary jumped up and screamed. "Help! Somebody! Anybody! We need help over here!"

Immediately, three of Lelouch's maids entered the room and gasped at the sight. "What happened here?" one of them asked.

"I don't know! Call the hospital, quickly!"

"They'll never make it in time" the elder one stated before ordering the others. "You, call Master Lelouch's personal physician. She should be in the café. You, grab a stretcher from the infirmary"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Ugh…" Shirley groaned and stiffened as the pain jolted again and again. Hey eye bled terribly even as she closed it tightly with all her might.

"Shirley hang on!" Rivalz stated before pulling the girl back up, not noticing the blue insignia that appeared on her eye.

**(Chinese Federation) (Vermillion Forbidden City)**

Xingke grunted as he saw the large container carrying the empress lifted away from the palace. Things were now looking grim by the minute. Thanks to Zero, they were to be left as sacrifices to the High Eunuchs to combat the Chinese Imperial Army. Though the young dragon of the federation was angered by this distasteful act, a part of him had to admit that he was a bit impressed. To use the plan of others to further the cause of his own but indeed ingenious.

"Deploy the Dragon Cavalry to pursue them!" he ordered. But before the soldier could act to his command, a familiar fat voice taunted at him.

"That is now our task!" Zhao Hao, one of the larger Eunuchs stated along with his other compatriots. "You are now relieved of your duty, Xingke"

"Geh! The Eunuchs…"

It wasn't then until the whole rebellion was quelled in one swift stroke.

**(Highway near the city of Luoyang) (1 hour later)**

"Alright, package secured" Kallen stated through her com after making sure that the container carrying Zero and the empress was safely loaded into the moving truck. There were a bunch of aircrafts following her too but they meant little seeing that she possessed more than enough firepower to take out an army of those things.

Tohdoh arrived not a minute later and began blasting the helicopters away with his shoulder mounted chainguns.

While the two elite Knightmares of the Black Empire were fighting the flies up in the sky, Zero, Chiba, Sugiyama and the empress Jiang Lihua exited the container only to be greeted by Kaguya who was already waiting for them with a tray of drinks. "Welcome back, master Zero. I hope you are well"

"Indeed we are" Zero motioned, gesturing the empress to get off. "I also brought you your old friend, Lady Kaguya"

"Kaguya!" the empress rushed out of the box and grabbed the prime minister within a tight hug. "You're ok!"

"Of course I should. Master Zero wouldn't let any harm come to me no matter what happens"

While the other men sew up themselves, Chiba suddenly noticed a Knightmare frame waiting at the back of the flatbed. It looked similar to the old Gekka she used to pilot back in Japan but this time with a FLOAT unit and more stylish in sense. "Is this… mine?"

"Yes it is" Zero answered her question nodding approvingly to one of Rakshata's recent works. The Indian scientist made sure to use all of Zero's expenses to the utmost, supplying not only top of the line parts and programming but weapon details as well. "Knightmare frame Akatsuki-Jikisanshiyo or the Daybreak-Commander as Rakshata explained it. The weapon designs are in there. You will be its pilot. (Me?) Of course. I wouldn't have Kallen's 2nd in command go on with a poorly equipped Gekka. I supplied Asahina, Urabe and several other officers on board the Ikaruga with the same machine"

"But it seems quite different than the ones I saw back at the base" Chiba noticed almost too quickly and she was right. She's seen this machine operating in Horai Island a few days ago during its test phase. Usually the Akatsuki-Commander model would be equipped with standard weaponry like the double barreled machinegun but this one seemed to be equipped with greater arsenal like those missile tube launcher on its leg and the cannon mounted on its torso.

"I spare no expense when it comes to my Zero squad. Though I have to admit that Rakshata has been making a mess in the funding I provided her"

"Probably because you give her too much freedom for that choice"

Zero suddenly turned to face the young sword of Tohdoh with a questionable gaze. That last sentence seemed to have surprised him a bit. It felt casual and not professional like her usual tone. "Odd. I never expected to hear that from you"

Immediately Chiba blushed remembering her place. She quickly began to silently curse her commander for taking her out that day. Perhaps that time she spent with Kallen in the city was indeed rubbing all that stiff soldier attitude out of her system. "S… sorry sir"

"Master Zero" Kaguya interrupted them waving from a distance. "We're ready for the meeting"

Zero wanted to pry more but decided to ignore it for now. The birth of the U.F.N was far more important than a mild conversation. "Very well. We will be arriving at the Shin Shu Ravine soon. Have Ohgi and the others ready for us when we arrive at Xiao Pei. If my calculations are correct, we will be facing a difficult hurdle soon"

**(Duchess Nina's personal ship) (The Slepnir)**

"The Black Knights have escaped!" the military officer stationed in the Slepnir by prince Schneizel barked out questioningly at the com officer at the helm of the ship. Luckily the Slepnir was docked at a more secluded location in the Forbidden City so they had no idea what was going on until it was far too late. "When did they even arrive?"

"About an hour ago sir" he replied looking a bit baffled. Most of the crew on board the Slepnir were scientists and mechanics so they weren't accustomed to combat. Only a handful of soldiers were present as Nina's personal bodyguards to repel intruders just in case something should happen. "They left through a small gap in the Luoyang's surveillance network"

"The gap? How's that possible! It's barely been a month since Zero arrived on Horai Island, it's impossible for him to figure that out!"

"But that's all what the reports is being said. All communications are being blocked due to the radio station scrambling out signals"

"Damn it all. Lift off immediately. We'll pursue them with the Slepnir!"

"We can't sir!"

"Why not!" the officer beckoned. "This vessel is the most state of the art in all of Britannia! We can outrun them!"

"Yes but even so. This ship is under the jurisdiction of Duchess Nina Einstein. We can't move without her orders. And even if we could launch we won't be effective against those Knightmares! This ship maybe the state of the art but it is still a research vessel, not a warship!"

"Grrr… damn it all!" the military officer banged his hand on the console. "Then someone go and wake up the Duchess. We'll be sitting ducks like this!"

(Black Knight's Escape truck)

Zero was muttering something to himself when he rubbed the head of his mask with a slight irritation coming from his inner face. He had just finished explaining the real situation to the empress who seemed to well unaware of the situation that has been happening outside of the Forbidden City. From what the Eunuchs told her, her rule has been launching a golden age for the federation and that the marriage was to seal a political deal with the Britannians.

That of course was obviously a farce to mask their true intent.

Now came the difficult part of explaining what the United Federation of Nations actually meant. The empress had far better educated than most girls of her age which surprised Zero. However her naivety blinded her from the task thinking that whatever the eunuchs says are true.

Zero tried his best to use small words to get into the brain of the empress but all his attempt seems to only squeak and cower in fear. He wouldn't blame her. Zero had to admit that his costume did somehow bring attention but it was also frightening to wear it. Just by looking at the mirror he would think that he was an alien from outer space.

In time, Zero had to withdraw from the conversation and leave the rest up to Lady Kaguya who seemed to be more skilled in handling young politicians.

"Are you sure it's best to leave her with Kaguya?" C2 asked while she drove the truck onward towards the Shen shu ravine.

"I have to… since the empress doesn't respond well to my logical or theoretical arguments, she can't be convinced"

"Why not just bribe her with candy or something?" the green haired witch suggested cockily with a small grin appearing on her face.

Zero sighed. "If it all comes down to it, that option may just be considered"

"H… hey Zero" Tamaki butted in looking a bit down. It was to be expected since he just lost one of his closest friends.

"I understand what you wish to say Tamaki" Zero cut him off. "But at the moment we have to focus on the mission before us. You can point blames on others when the time comes"

"We're h here" C2 added before the red head could reply. When they all turned their attention to the road in front of them, Tamaki could only see a wrecked bridge. "Looks like they haven't finished this bridge either"

"What! The bridge is gone!"

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Following up not far behind the Black Knight's truck, was the Forbidden City Regimental Guards. Though they were armed with standard heavy weaponries such as tanks and copters, they were poorly equipped to handle high state Knightmares such as these. Their only strength came in numbers not raw power.

"This is Forbidden City Strike force. The Black Knights have been stopped at Shen Shu. They appear to be equipped with several Knightmares"

"Affirmative. Surround the target and fire at will but don't harm the truck. These are the High Eunuch's orders"

"Understood, commencing fire"

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But this move only seemed to make Zero grin with relative ease. Their pursuit was so relatively predictable. "They fell for it easier than I expected" he then turned on his communicator and spoke his next command. "Asahina, Urabe… now"

"We're on it!" immediately a large number of Akatsuki Knightmares appeared on the mountain way and the collapsed bride. Asahina and Urabe were riding on the same Akatsuki-Commander version, both armed and well prepared. "All units ready for attack!"

"Looks like we got them on the ropes!" Urabe added aiming his new found weapon. "Alright how bout we give Rakshata's new toys a test run?"

The strike force of the Forbidden City were quickly wiped out in a massacre. They stood little chance on fighting Knightmares and taking on a dozen of them with just tank and jeeps and helicopters was foolish.

**(High Eunuch's mobile command base) (The Ziggurat)**

**A/N: Ziggurat is pyramid like structure so hence the name Ziggurat. And yes I know, the name is kind of uncool.**

Li Xingke and the rest of his rebel cohort sat emptily at the prison cell inside the High Eunuch's capital fortress. The coup d'état in which they thought would bring peace and a new era of prosperity to the Chinese Federation was doused in just a matter of minutes. The plan was to simply grab the empress, escape and regroup with the main army and then begin siege the capital city of Luoyang with everything they got.

But the plan went awry the moment when Zero and the Black Knights meddled in their business. By the time Xingke was even able to get a grasp of the situation he received word that half of his assault force were taken down by the Black Knights and their escape routes cut off from the reserves stationed in the city.

Now, him and his high officers sat in that cell awaiting their next judgment. But that was until the Eunuchs decided to drop by. Immediately he knew what they wanted.

"They've taken out the strike force sent to pursue them, haven't they?"

The Eunuchs above were caught by surprised when he was able to tell what was happening without a peep from the men in hats. "How did you know that?"

That question alone proved it all for Xingke. If Zero was following the same tactic he was using then it also meant that he was going to do the same thing he was going to do if the Black Knights had not interrupted. "If I were in their place I'd hang back and stage an ambush at the Shen shu ravine"

"And then?" the little Eunuch asked.

"Then I'd join up with my main force in Xiao Pei"

Indeed the High Eunuchs were impressed. "Hmm?" they looked at each other before nodding. "Xingke. We're willing to overlook your crimes, if you can bring back our empress"

"We'll even give you a new weapon"

**(The Avalon)**

Odysseus eu Britannia walked at the hallway of the Avalon that afternoon being escorted by a small contingency of guards. After facing Zero head on the man had his very soul sucked out of him. He nearly wet himself just facing the masked vigilante head on. The very memory of it just seemed like a bad dream just now.

"Your highness. This will be your quarters for the time being" one of Schneizel's advisors stated while showing the prince a rather luxurious room which was to be his temporary housing. "I will have guards stationed outside just in case if you need anything"

Odysseus looked confused when he turned to see the man. "What? I thought we were heading to the bridge with Schneizel. Shouldn't I be there too?"

"His highness, the prime minister ordered us to bring you here for some rest and recuperation" the advisor explained. "He believed that after experiencing an encounter with Zero you would require some relaxation"

"That's ridiculous. I should be up there in the bridge with Schneizel. If there's something I can do to help I should be there with him"

"His highness request that you remain here at the time being. Prince Schneizel has taken command of the Avalon once more and says that he the situation under control. We will update you on the situation as it happens. Until then, please remain here"

"I…" Odysseus was about to argue but found no way to counter. "Very well…"

"Then I shall leave you be your highness" the advisor saluted and left through the door. "Oh by the way. Sir Suzaku also states that no phone calls are to be made at this time since the Black Knights may be tapping our network channels. So all television system and phone calls will be jammed from here on end"

"What?"

"Excuse me your highness" and with that the advisor left, leaving the prince to contemplate on the situation all by himself. This was not unusual for him. In all his life, Odysseus was never one to take the stage. It would usually be Schneizel, Cornelia or his other siblings making a big difference in the world. Even his own sister Guinevere would erect monuments of great stature to the people.

With the doors locked and guards placed outside, all Odysseus could do then was wait in that room with a few bottles of champagne. He had to thank Schneizel for preparing that. Being cooped up in a room like this with little communication to the outside world would probably make him made.

With a heavy sigh, the prince surrendered himself to the bed and took off the mantle which bore of the symbol of Britannia. He starred at it and remembered how his father, the emperor was a patron to Social Darwinism. That thought alone brought him pain thinking about Nunnally and the other people in and out of Britannia.

"Schneizel… am I really that useless?"

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At the bridge of the Avalon, Schneizel and the rest of the Royal Guard forces were discussing what was to be their next course of action.

"Your highness, how's prince Odysseus?" Gino asked worryingly.

"He seems to have calmed down at last" the prime minister replied holding his face up with his fist. "I've assigned him to the guest room to rest so there's no need to worry"

Suzaku sighed and quickly began to plan his next move. "Then, once we've replaced my float unit, I can go after the empress"

"No, I'm afraid not" Kanon replied holding his pose next to the prince's throne. "We have to remember that we're on Chinese Federation territory. We can't take action unless requested from the Eunuchs"

"I understand that my lord, but we also have to understand that this might be the only chance we get. Zero isn't around his Black Knights. Only the Guren and Commander Tohdoh are escorting him at the moment"

"Your judgment is quite difficult to argue, sir Kururugi" Schneizel nodded approvingly. "However. This matter has been taken to consideration. We cannot act too hasty or we'll risk an international incident with the Federation. You may be a Knight of the Round but you have been assigned to me by the emperor. We'll follow the High Eunuchs for now and I'll try to see if we can assist them in any way possible"

"Uh… yes… your highness"

**(Xiao Pei) (The Ikaruga)**

The Ikaruga. The state of the art ship built by the Japanese workers and designed by Rakshata Chawla herself. It served as the Black Knight's flagship and housed more than a thousand personnel to run it. The ship was built into different sections: The bridge, the command room, the hanger bays, the lounge, the engine room, the store room, the crew quarters, and many more.

It did not only serve as one of the most advance battleships in the face of the planet but also a symbol of hope to all the Areas around the world that were under the oppression of Britannia. Every time the people see the hull of that ship they would immediately believe that Zero was on board. It served as a medium for Zero and his power over the world.

Zero was indeed having an enjoyable moment as he returned to the Ikaruga with his assault team. Though many of them still mourned Yoshida's untimely death, the Black Knights knew that in this war there had to be sacrifices.

"That went more smoothly than I had hoped. Perhaps I should thank Xingke for setting his plan in motion early. He's a talented strategist"

C2 was with him as well, holding on to her precious Cheese kun as always. "So you figured out his coup from his men using Geass. That's an obvious tactic. But what about that man you left behind? Yoshida. Do you think your plan will pull through?"

"If it doesn't, it won't matter" Zero confirmed her before entering the elevator. "There are many pathways to victory and it's always best to keep as many options as you can"

"Even if he dies you still have six trump cards on your sleeve" the green haired witch smirked. "By the way. That man, Elie called earlier. He says that he should be arriving a little late. The state of panic done by Xingke's coup is blocking all local flight paths so he's taking the long route to get here"

"A minor inconvenience on our side" Zero shrugged like it didn't matter to him. "What of Jeremiah?"

"He's gone to the reservoir to open the floodgates as you ordered. He's just waiting for your signal to begin"

"Excellent. Then our plan is all in motion" they soon arrived at the bridge area where Ohgi, Minami and the rest of the Black Knight high command were waiting. "Is there news from Horai Island?"

"Reinforcements from India have already arrived there" Ohgi answered looking a bit happy of the plan but still one could see the saddened face for the lost of his former comrade. "We just have to return and rendezvous with them. How are things with the empre—(boom!)"

An explosion caught the men on the bridge off guard.

"An attack?" Ichijiku Hinata, one of the younger volunteer members who served with Ayame Fubata and Mitsuki Minase stated out. "Our forward Knightmare units are being wiped out!"

**A/N: Hard to find their names but it was all sweet. If you don't know these three, it's ok. I won't mention them too often.**

"Stop!" Ohgi ordered out. "All units, come to a halt!"

But this of course caught Zero by surprise as well. He didn't expect an attack this early in the game. With all the Chinese Federation army fighting off the rebellion that Xingke staged, there shouldn't be any obstacles barring their path. _"Strange… we should've had at least an hour before we encountered enemy forces. Unless someone is guessing our moves in advance"_

As the smoke up front cleared up, one of the staff officer noted a flying robotic figure atop the ruins of the destroyed Akatsuki escorts. "A Knightmare?"

"Zoom in, hurry!" Minami ordered which they followed.

When the screen popped up, Rakshata was the first to stand up. Her eyes widened the moment she caught just a glimpse of the blue and red Knightmare. "What? No. It can't be… Kulas?"

"_What is it?"_ Zero motioned to the design of the frame. _"Why is it equipped with the same flight system we use?"_

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"Knightmare frame Shen Hu" Xingke stated in awe as he looked at the machine that he was in. "It's barely running at 40 percent of total output. How could the High Eunuchs build such a machine?"

Asahina and Urabe were situated below along with six other Akatsukis. "Looks like that thing is blocking our way"

"Commence six way attack run! Urabe, cover me!"

"Got it!"

But Xingke could read their move easily. Being a professional warrior and tactician that he is, countering their offensive was merely child's play. "You underestimate the Shen Hu at your own peril" he fired his wrist mounted Slash Harken and grabbed the first attacker throwing up high in the air while sending a voltage of electricity through the wire.

"Damn it! Fire at that thing!" a hail of bullets fired but all were easily dodged by the blue Knightmare. "What is that monster!"

Before any of their questions could be answered, The Shen Hu made short work of them, leaving the front of the Ikaruga exposed. "Can you hear me, Zero?"

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Immediately, the masked vigilante recognized the voice. "It can't be… Xingke?"

"That Xingke?" Ohgi questioned. "But I thought he would still be in the Forbidden City"

"Unless of course his coup ended earlier than we had hoped" Zero thought for a moment and saw this move of his was kind of foolish. Coming in alone head on was suicide. _"Strange. I understand that Xingke would attack eventually to save his precious empress. But attacking alone is too stubborn even with a powerful Knightmare isn't like him… unless… he's trying to hold us off while waiting for his main force to join up"_

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"Xingke!" Kallen barked out, appearing out of nowhere.

The young dragon of the federation saw this and quickly drew out his short blade. "A Flight Enabled Guren? Kallen Kouzuki!"

"Grrrr!"

"You are strong indeed! But even so… the Shen Hu will crush you!"

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"Launch support to Kallen!" Zero ordered out. "Have Tohdoh launch as well! If we can crush Xingke here and now then victory will be ours!"

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At the hanger bay, Chiba was already near her Knightmare preparing to move out. "Prep the Akatsuki for launch! I'm going out to support the major!"

"B… but we just detached the FLOAT unit!" the head mechanic stated. "It'll be another three minutes before we can put it back again"

"Then do it! (Y… yes ma'am!) Hold on major… I'm coming!"

"Argghhhh! Get him Kallen!" Tamaki yelled out at the viewing deck. He was followed by the other mechanics who were cheering for the Guren. The battle at the frontlines became a show for spectators.

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"Scatter shot!" Kallen opened up the back hatch of her Guren launching a large payload of missiles. The Shen Hu easily dodged them but not without blowing a sweat. "Not bad… but too bad for you that I'm… a Black Knight Ace!" she readied her RWS charging it for a long range attack.

Xingke also noticed this and quickly remembered back in the report that the Guren was armed with one of the most deadly weapons of this era. The Radiant Wave Surger. One direct hit from that one of a kind weapon and it was guaranteed that you would lose. Xingke contemplated and smirked, thinking that the 'Devil's Right Hand' fitted the bill of her name perfectly.

But the man wasn't going down without a fight just yet. After being given the manual of the Shen Hu he knew much of its primary weapon. "Now. Show me Shen Hu! Show me your power!" a hatched opened from the Shen Hu's chest revealing a small but affective cannon.

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"That cannon!" Rakshata gasped which caused a stir in the crowd. It was rare to see the heartless scientist change her expression and even rarer to see her snap her tobacco pipe with her own bare hands. "That's Kulas's work! How did they obtain it!"

"You know what it is?" Zero questioned.

"Yes of course I know it because our team built it!" she answered not taking her eyes off the screen. "It was constructed by my… predecessor about the same time we developed the Guren a couple of years ago. However, the specs on the frame were too high to handle by any human at the time. It's a one of a kind Knightmare that no pilot could master… Knightmare frame Shen Hu"

"The consolatory forces in India must be split up against us" Ohgi stated out noting that not all of India supported the Black Knights. Some of the higher ups who held power in the side of the Eunuchs still held a large influence on the country and its people. They weren't ready to abandon the power they've been given just yet. "That's must be how they obtained it"

"There's a high probability for that" Minami agreed looking awed at the screen.

"That damn maharaja!"

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"Eat this!"

"Try this!"

Both Knightmares fired their most damaging weapons at each other smashing right dead at the center of the battlefield. The Radiant Wave Surger which was said to have given the Guren the name of the Devil's Right Hand was stopped in its tracks. A round of gasps echoed as the air struck heavily on everyone around them.

The shockwave from the blast was so powerful and so terrifying that even the Knightmares from a distance were trembling from it.

"The Heavenly Particle Shocking Cannon…" Xingke stated the weapon's name with awe. To actually see his firearm equally balancing the Guren's right hand was stunning indeed. Most who encountered Kouzuki's radiant wave blast wouldn't usually survive the first shot, much less a second one. "It's just as powerful…"

"… as powerful as the Radiant Wave Surger!"

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"It can't be!" Ohgi and the others in the bridge of the Ikaruga gasped. "How can that thing be equal to the Radiant Wave Surger!"

"Didn't you say that this Knightmare was built a few years before the Guren?" Minami asked looking quite puzzled on how an older version of weaponry could possibly match a modern weapon such as the Guren. He was probably thinking that weapons of today would be like fighting sticks and stones against tanks and guns.

Rakshata nodded and in a rare sight of anger she snapped her tobacco pipe in two. Her face was twisted with sheer anger even though she was never one to express such emotions before. "I did…" she answered finally. "But that Knightmare frame wasn't designed by me. My predecessor, Kulas made it" she gritted her teeth staring at the screen. "Even after four years Kulas… I just reached your level of intellect. You truly are superior than I am"

"A new enemy force is coming up on the rear!" the com officer stated out suddenly showing the radar on screen.

"What!" Zero said in disbelief. "How is that possible! Bring up the main screen. (beep)"

"Are those Xingke's men?" Ohgi asked which Zero simply denied it. With a single glance he could already tell whose troops those were. Bringing a giant Ziggurat fortress to lead a chase wasn't Xingke's style of combat. He would rather lead his men in battle, preferably forming into small combat groups attacking from each side in synch. No the only force who would use such a gigantic fortress on this hunt would be inexperienced commanders who only believe that size and numbers can win a war.

"No… those forces are… the High Eunuch's personal army" Zero stated gritting his teeth. He wasn't expecting his plan to go awry so quickly. "Damn… they arrived faster than I expected. Kallen! Finish up Xingke and move up to the back! All Knightmare squadron, form a defensive line at the rear of the Ikagura and prepare to retreat. Set a course for the Xiao Pei conquered lands. We'll make our fight there. What's the enemy's strength?"

"We're reading at least three Gun-Ru battalions and a giant moving fortress at their center. A large number of air units as well followed with bombers and V-TOLs"

The Shen Hu and the Guren fought equally at the skies in front of the Ikaruga. Both possessed skilled pilots in which brought their fully efficiency and their arsenal pretty much pared to one another. Clash after clash went by with no obvious victor until…

"I have you!" Xingke grappled onto one of the Guren's legs and launched her directly towards the sky. "Your life is now in my hands!"

"And that's where you're wrong!" Kallen countered showing off her silver arm again. "By the time you and I connected, your life is in my hands!"

"I see… then I guess I have no choice" for a man who was about to meet his end, Xingke sounded rather calm. "But even so… your Knightmare is no different from mine! In the end we both run out of power eventually!"

And just as if his words struck, the Guren's systems suddenly shut down on its own. "What the!" Kallen tried to figure out what was wrong and only barely to notice her energy supply drained from the constant flying from the Forbidden City. "No way! My power supply!"

"I was expecting this" Xingke smirked triumphantly before wrapping the Guren with his wrist mounted slash harkens. "Your operating time since the attack on the Forbidden City was quite predictable. And since you had to combat every step of the way, it's obvious that you wouldn't have adequate time to recharge. This battle was mine from the start"

"Major!" Chiba's voice echoed in from the distance charging in her Akatsuki, sword and weapon drawn. "Unhand her, this instant!" She was ready to go in, guns blazing and sword swinging but she pulled up short when she noticed Xingke's blade pointing directly at the Guren's cockpit. "Uhh… damn you!"

"We can still take him out from behind!" Urabe suggested.

"No. Don't!" Chiba halted her two comrades blocking their flight paths. "The cockpit block is wrapped up so she can't eject. There's also a small chance that you could damage the Guren as well. Hold on for now. (Beep beep beep!) What? Damn… incoming!" quickly, the three fighters dashed away from the barrage of missiles that came their way.

"Air support?" Xingke looked around puzzled by the sight of V-TOLs suddenly appearing to support him. "Could it be? Xianglin?"

"Master Xingke" immediately, the girl in question appeared on the Shen Hu's personal screen. "Please return to the Ziggurat for repairs and resupply immediately. Cpt. Hong Gu is providing covering fire from the Dragon Cavalry"

"Thank you Xianglin. I owe you one"

"What!" Zero was angered by this. "Kallen has been… captured! Asahina, Urabe, Chiba! Rescue her immediately"

"We're trying!" Urabe yelled back. "But their anti-air weapons have us pinned down. If we rush out now, we'll just be meat fodders"

"Damn it all!" Zero slammed his hand on the table earning a small jolt from the group. "Kallen, is your radio working?"

The communication patched in but with the spare energy left in the Guren, only the voice could be heard. "Y… yes sir. I'm s… sorry I've failed you" Kallen gritted at herself in disgust. To actually think that she would be captured by her own carelessness was shameful to say the least. "I'll try to find a way out when I can"

"Forget about that!" the whole room turned to their masked vigilante as he said that. His voice seemed rather raised and desperate almost like he had feelings for the red head pilot. Even C2 seemed to have taken notice of his tone. "Don't try anything stupid. The best thing you can do now is to wait in that cockpit. No matter what happens, I will save you. You still have a reason to fight… do you not?"

"Z… Zero…?" Kallen flustered despite the situation that she was in. "What are you…?"

"I'll save you myself. Am I clear? No hasty moves, understand?"

It was then something sparked in Kallen's heart. The desperate voice of Zero triggered a chain reaction, reminding her of her mother who was waiting for her back in Tokyo and her late brother Naoto who dreamed of a free Japan. All the memories and hopes of those two precious people came rushing back to her. She felt safe, secure and it reminded her of the time when the U.S.J was born. "Zero… it really is… you" a tear of joy which held her all of her previous sadness fell through her cheek. All the doubts she had about Zero… vanished into nothingness. "Yes sir! I won't give up no matter what! I'll stay strong… until then… I'll be waiting sir!"

And with that the signal was cut.

A small echo of silence followed. The lost of Yoshida was bad enough but losing Kallen to the Eunuchs would not only be a demoralizing blow to Zero but to the whole Black Knight Order as well. If Diethard was there he probably would've suggested that they withdraw back to Horai Island and set up a defensive position. But sadly, the room was now filled with idealists.

"Turn the Ikaruga around!" Ohgi ordered. "We're going to save Kallen!"

"No!" Zero countered. "We can't make our stand here. Xingke and the Eunuchs have the advantage on large ground. Move all our forces to the banks of the Xiao Pei. Deploy all ground units and set up a defensive formation. We'll show Xingke the difference between strategy and tactics"

"Yes sir!"

**(The Avalon)**

Suzaku, Gino and Anya lounged around the waiting room that evening after Prince Schneizel decided to 'observe' the battle between the Black Knights and the Eunuchs forces. Though no public announcements were made, it still stressed Suzaku that he couldn't join the fight. There was no better chance to eliminate Zero right here and now away from the bulk of his main army. Without to Black Knight legion to support him, the chance of his demise was raised to fifteen percent.

But alas, the system which he has faith in was now the very thing that barred him from his attack.

"Would you cut it out Suzaku?" Gino whined as he took time away from reading the magazine left in the room. "If you keep pacing around like that, you'll make a dent on the floor eventually"

"Sorry Gino. It's just that… this may be the best chance we'll get in eliminating Zero. I know that we have no say in this country but still…"

"Relax will ya? What's the worst that could happen? The least we did was save two princes of the empire and avoided a bloodbath. Let's just enjoy the peace and quiet before the storm hits, eh?"

Suzaku sighed at his comrade. "Sometimes Gino, I wonder how you were even admitted to the Knights of the Round with that lazy attitude of yours"

"Ahahaha! I'll take that as a compliment!"

"How interesting…" Anya suddenly stated out of the blues.

"What is?" both men asked.

"This is… the first time… I've heard you been so… interested in Zero" she explained casually, not taking her eyes off her cam recorder once. "What makes him different than all the Zeros we've fought till now?"

"Yeah… now that Anya mentioned it, she's right" Gino agreed suspiciously. "Weren't you the one who killed the original Zero to begin with? (Well… yeah) Then there shouldn't be a problem. If you can kill the original one, then a copy won't fair any better"

"You really are an optimist, Gino" Suzaku let out a groan.

"It's one of my special skills as a nobleman, ahehehe. (Hmmm…) Well if you're that stressed why don't you go hang out at your old friend's place? What was his name again? Lelug or something"

"Oh you mean Lelouch?"

"Yeah that's the guy" Gino clasped his hands in delight. "I've heard a lot of things about that guy. The Baron of Hollington if I remembered correctly. He's pretty different from the other nobles. Although I've never met him personally, I heard that he takes piety to the Numbers. His province is practically a paradise for refugees. Not to mention that he owns one of the most famed airports in the empire"

"Lelouch…" Anya paused for a moment as if recalling that name. The name sounded quite familiar and quickly she searched the word in her blog diary. "Who is…Lelouch?" strangely enough, she couldn't find the name anywhere. But when she opened her picture diary, she noticed an old photo she took bearing a boy in a white suit holding a rose in his hand. "Is this… Lelouch?"

**(Xiao Pei) (The Opening Move)**

The tension in Xiao Pei was growing larger by the minute. Never before has the empty plain of this desert saw battle since the days of the Three Kingdom. Now another battle was to take place, rekindling the fires of destruction once more.

"Black Knights… prepare for battle!" Zero announced to his men riding on board the Ikaruga. Tohdoh and his two remaining Holy Swords were with him at the front waiting for his command, Chiba remained above watching the battle from the skies. She was now the temporary commander of the Zero Squad. Tamaki, Sugiyama and Inoue remained at the rear lines preparing for the counterattack. "The terrain offers little cover and there's no geographic advantage. However, our Knightmare frames gives us a small advantage. So the Chinese Federation battle plan would be to put the Shen Hu at the frontlines and breakthrough our center!"

"Roger!"

"Tohdoh, block Xingke! Without him to lead their forces will be easier to deal with"

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"Understood" The samurai nodded before noticing the blue Knightmare riding out from the Ziggurat. "I'll stop the Shen Hu… with my Zangetsu! All other units, use a crane wing formation just as we planned! Asahina, Urabe, lead center force and advance on their flanks!"

"Yes sir! By the honor of the Four Holy Swords!" immediately the two force clashed at the center of the plain right between the two gigantic armies. Bullets whistled in the air and cannons exploded. In just five seconds, the land was changed to an almost unrecognizable state.

"Dragon Cavalry unit!" Xingke called out. "Our range is superior so keep firing as you advance! Hong Gu. Lead the main unit and break their center!"

The Gun-Rus commenced their attack and indeed their superior firepower in long range combat, they were able to pin the center lines of the Akatsukis.

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Zero noted the battlefield turning so he quickly ordered a counter move. "We've blocked Xingke! Akatsuki team, fire!" a row of Akatsukis fired their cannons but had little effect on the superior firepower of the Gun-Rus weapons. "Chiba, cover our troops from above. Your Knightmare is more heavily equipped than others so use your firepower to keep the enemy focusing on our center!"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Understood Zero" Chiba quickly moved up passing Tohdoh and Xingke. "Missile barrage… fire!" a volley of missiles fired, hitting the Dragon Cavalry formation on their left and right flanks.

"It's true that Xingke is pinned down but so is Tohdoh!" Hong Gu stated back at his officers as he led the Gun-Rus through the hoard of Black Knights. "Therefore… this battle will be decided by the skill of the warriors!"

Xingke dodged a blow from Tohdoh's blade and moved back. Never before did he think that he would actually face the Miracle Man of the Japanese army in combat. Even though he saw the man to be an honorable and dangerous fighter, he couldn't help but think that this one of the most enjoyable battle he fought up to date. "Keep pressing on! If we get bogged down here we'll be wiped out!"

"The enemy has broken through our main lines!" Fubata cried out panicking. "Should we commence fire?"

"Fire the armament slash harken boosters!" Zero ordered which was quickly followed. The Ikaruga wasn't just equipped to be a mobile carrier but also to be able to handle itself against direct attacks from smaller units. There were plenty of weapons on board its hull and its side which made it a force to be reckoned with. "Rearward units. Fall back along with Ikaruga. Lure Xingke's men closer to our range of attack. Prepare for hand to hand combat! Once we've destroyed their main force, this battle will be ours!"

"We're taking Kallen back!"

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Back outside, the whole land was now turned to a proper battlefield. With both sides not holding anything back and casualties piling up like the stock market exchange rating, both commanders knew that this fight was going to end with the next move they make.

"Hit'em hard boys!" Tamaki gave out a battle cry as he led his unit from the field. Sugiyama and Inoue followed not far behind all ready to deal the killing blow on their enemies.

"This is for Yoshida! All units, draw swords!"

The two forces clashed right at the center of the battlefield and quickly the tide turned. Since the Gun-Rus possessed no close range weapons, their guns and cannons became nothing more but peashooters in close combat. The forward units were easily cut down and not even Tamaki himself could screw this up no matter how badly he performed.

Even Xingke seemed to be surprised by the vast numbers of Knightmares that Zero brought out on the front. He thought for a moment that the Ikaruga would only contain a smaller force but it has shown to be the birthing mother of an army. "What? There's more? You deployed all of your forces in trying to finish us Zero?"

Inside the Ziggurat, the High Eunuchs were contemplating on whether it was a good idea to let Xingke go first. Though they were using the rebel forces to rescue the empress it still looked bad for them.

"Such wild risks" said the rather large Eunuch. "His whole battle plan rest solely on the Shen Hu?"

"What a reckless daredevil"

"No…" Xianglin cut them off understanding the plan completely. "Master Xingke is drawing Zero into his net. The true purpose for this formation is because he wants him to focus solely at the center. When that happens, the river at the water banks will fall…"

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"Hehehehe…" Zero laughed evilly to himself as he noticed the water slowly ascending from the higher mountain plains. Surely he knew that the reservoir of the land had already been broken by Xingke's men. The plan he formulated was beginning. "Xingke, your plan was to rip down the bank of the waterway. I would've intended to lower the water levels before the battle… however…"

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Back outside, the Zero's men slowly began to sink into the mud. "W… what the? I… I can't move!"

"Are we trapped!"

But Tohdoh and Chiba noted well what was going on. "Our troops are sinking?"

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Back inside the Ikaruga, Rakshata noted the plan and quickly turned her attention towards Zero. "Is this why you…?"

"Yes… it is" Zero's invisible smirk grinned proudly at all of them. "All units! Deploy amphibious landspinners! Rush in from their rear and crush Xingke's forces immediately!" _"Hehehehe… it seems that Elie's assumption and information gathering proved useful after all. The corruption and shady construction of the reclaimed irrigation land weakened the core of this area greatly. Xingke you truly are superior. Even I alone wouldn't have known this little bit of detail and my forces would've sunk, which would make it easy for your troops to demolish. You really are a genius strategist and a capable fighter. You could say that you are a leader among men… however… I am a leader of leaders!"_

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"Now is our chance to strike!" Tohdoh barked out, waving his blade against the Shen Hu's FLOAT unit. "Asahina, strike the left flank! Urabe, right flank! (Roger!) I'll deal with Xingke!"

Chiba too began to rush in, striking the enemy air force that was approaching them. "Stand aside! I am Nagase Chiba of the Black Knights!" she fired a barrage of bullets from her wrist mounted machinegun wiping out nearly a contingency of the enemy force. "Sugiyama. The enemy's rear forces are in disarray. Strike in hard and fast. (Understood) Inoue, leave your position and back up Tamaki's unit"

"Uh… but wouldn't that leave the flanks of the Ikaruga wide open?" Inoue opted back unsure of the order.

"These are Zero's orders. Don't worry, I think he has a plan"

"What!" Xingke gasped in awe. Even after thinking through the whole plan he thought that he had victory right in his grasps. "How come they're still moving! The water should've sunk them into the land. Eh…? Could Zero have predicted this as well?"

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"_Impossible"_ Xianglin thought silently to herself as she looked at the tactical screen. Master Xingke was slowly being surrounded by the Black Knights and Hong Gu's units were being crushed from the barrage coming at all sides. Surely she knew that there was no way that they could get out of there without getting themselves killed first. _"How could Zero have seen through our plan? Even he alone couldn't have known about the corruption and defunct construction that the High Eunuchs did. Or… is it possible that he may have an agent inside the government?"_

"Dragon Cavalry unit 5 and 6! Support Hong Gu and cover both flanks!"

"That's quite enough now" one of the Eunuchs cut her off boringly at the screen. After witnessing Xingke's ultimate defeat on the big picture he knew that continuing the fight is now meaningless. "This fight has gone on long enough. We are withdrawing"

"What?" Xianglin gasped. "But we're still fighting. If we charge in the others we can save Master Xingke and salvage the operation"

"We've given your master a chance to redeem himself and he has failed us. I am no longer interested in his life or any of his subordinates" the Eunuch then turned his attention to the com officer. "Is Schneizel still in Luoyang? (Yes sir) Have a secure channel transmitted to the Avalon. I wish to speak with him"

"Wait a minute!" but Xianglin was quickly silenced when the guards strapped her down and covered her mouth with a mouthpiece.

**A/N: I don't know about you guys but I find the mouthpiece they used kind of… oh… I don't know… erotic?**

A few minutes later, Schneizel's face appeared on the main screen. "Greetings, members of the High Eunuchs" he greeted politely showing his skills in etiquette. "How may I be of service?"

"Prince Schneizel. Forgive the sudden event that happened in the Forbidden City. I hope this has not change our arrangements for the future reference"

"Of course not" the prince replied solemnly. Even Zero would see that the man had great charisma over his face and voice which prompted everything that he say with passion. One would call him a great liar who cannot be caught. "My brother Odysseus is resting at the moment. We are just waiting for the arrival of the empress"

"It seems that the recovery of our empress is not going as smooth as we thought it would" the fate Eunuch said coyly not trying to pin the prince with words. "We were wondering if you would like to provide us with some assistance. I believe that the Britannians and the Black Knights are not in the best of relations"

"Indeed we aren't but you do understand that you will be asking aid from a foreign nation, high one"

The Eunuchs smirked at this and quickly replied. "Yes. However… in return for your services, we will give you a captive that we think that you might find interesting" a pop up screen opened up revealing the deactivated Guren Mk. II at the hanger bay of the Ziggurat. "If you agree to lend us the aid of the Knights of the Round, we will give you the Guren. It has no significant value to us"

Indeed, Schneizel was surprised. To actually see and believe that the Eunuchs would be able to capture the famed Devil's Right Hand was unexpected. He saw no lost in aiding them but instead a substantial gain. Already he could see some strange aura emanating from Suzaku. Judging from his personal vendetta against Zero and the Black Knights he must've shared a personal relation with the Guren pilot, Kallen Kouzuki.

"Very well" he said finally without a hint of regret. "We shall join up with you shortly"


	25. The Dead can Talk

**Chapter 25: The Dead can Talk**

**(Xiao Pei)**

Zero grinned evilly at himself pleasingly as he watched Xingke's men slowly decimated across the screen. The man himself was highly experienced in both as a tactician on the battlefield and a strategist, seeing how he planned his own coup ahead of time. If it were not for him, Zero may have to take the Chinese Federation using the brute force. Kidnapping the empress the solution that he was looking for and now with her in his hands, she became the bargaining chip that he needed to win the people of the federation.

There was a strange sense of pleasure looking at the tactical screen. Seeing how the small dots slowly vanishing, replaced by a small word 'LOST' in the process was very satisfying even if it came from his own unit.

The dark lord looked over again and saw that the high Eunuchs have already begun to move. With the Ziggurat slowly approaching them, it was clear that their current battle had to end.

"Enemy forces have begun to split up!" Hinata stated from her screen. "They appear to be striking the flanks of the Ikaruga!"

"Right… all tasks at hand are cleared" Zero responded raising his hand in the air in a dramatic pose. "Ready the bow mounted handron scatter cannon! Prepare to fire on my mark!"

The officers on deck quickly took their respective seats knowing well that this weapon was probably the strongest one the Black Knights had in their possession. It was built as the prime artillery in which to turn the tide of every major battle. The prime door opener if one would say.

Both commanders watched in awe of the weapon's destructive power. With but a single blast, the flanking units that attempted to escape the Black Knights slaughter were turned to dust.

"Right" Zero motioned to his men not taking his eyes off the screen. "Their main force has finally been weakened. All we have to do now is eliminate Xingke and then take the fight to the High Eunuchs. Once all of them are eliminated we can rescue Kallen"

"Yes sir!"

But right before Tohdoh and his swords could deliver the killing blow to Xingke's men, a transmission interrupted their battle. "Master Zero, we're receiving an emergency call from Horai Island! (What is it?) It… it can't be" the gang turned their attention to the com officer whose face turned to a dreaded expression. "That's not possible"

"What is it?" Zero asked not liking the tone already.

"The… the Indian reinforcements have begun attacking Horai Island! (What!) Not only that but our scouts also reported that they've blocked the passage at Xiao Pei and the canyon route!"

"But how!" Ohgi bellowed, his eyes turning to the screen. "I thought they were giving us their full support"

"They must've been afraid of the High Eunuchs and decided to switch sides again" Minami deducted. It sounded right… heck he was probably dead on. Minami has been mostly right in his deductions nowadays. "If they're blocking the canyon route we're completely cut off from Horai Island. We're completely surrounded"

"Can't we just fly over the mountains?"

"The Chinese Federation aerial defense network will rip us to shreds if we do that"

Zero knew that there was a chance that the Indian forces would betray him on the crucial moment. It was only a matter of timing. He thought that he would get at least a few more hours before they double crossed him but with Xingke on the enemy's side it only proved that he had more influence than expected.

"There's no use fighting over a losing battle now" the dark king said finally. "If the Indian forces have turned on us then there's no doubt they'll be arriving here soon. If we remain we'll be overwhelmed in numbers that are bound to be endless"

"Wait, we can't just abandon Kallen!"

"Dying here won't save her either Ohgi!" Zero snapped at him. "Tell all troops to back off immediately. Tohdoh. (Yes?) Get your troops out of there and head to emergency rendezvous point four. The Ikaruga will lead the enemy away. Their Knightmares will have limited combat ability on solid ground"

**(Ashford University) (Lelouch's Infirmary)**

A building inside the East Wing of Ashford University acted as an infirmary for the school. It was a building dedicated to medical studies and operation. There were only a few doctors and nurses that worked there but it was kept busy most of the time during school festivals. With the amount of small burns and injuries that Milly can cause in just one school event, the infirmary has seen its fair share of bruises and scars.

Rivalz walked around impatiently at the lobby like someone who was waiting for the doctor to give him the good or bad news. He tried to contact Lelouch but Rolo was the only person who was able to answer. He explained that Lelouch went out on a trip to the vineyard and won't be back until Monday. Rivalz called Milly afterward and to his surprise she bolted right through the door faster than he could even press the speed dial button.

The blue haired boy explained the situation but couldn't really understand himself on why Shirley collapsed like that. She had been in the patient's room for over an hour now with all the doctors and nurses attending to her needs. Lelouch had made it a point that all student council members are to be given highest priority if they should get injured.

"That bad huh?" Milly asked.

Rivalz nodded wearily like a husband waiting for his wife to come out of the operation's room. He was holding onto Arthur making him his security blanket for the day. "They've been in there for quite awhile now. I'm really worried"

The two of them paced around as if waiting for someone to come out. And within minutes, their prayer was answered when a nurse exited the room. She appeared to be a number that Lelouch hired himself from the slave traders in the city.

"Is she alright?" the two student council members asked at the same time.

The nurse nodded relieving the two of their worries. "Yes she's fine now. Though we couldn't really discover the source of her pain, we were able to sedate her. She's resting now but I would like to ask a few questions if that's alright" Milly nodded in response making the nurse pick up a folder from the counter. "Now. From what Mr. Cardemonde explained earlier: Ms. Fenette began experiencing severe pains on her left eye when she returned from her trip with her friends. She collapsed saying that her head hurts and her left eye was in pain"

"Yeah, that's pretty much" Rivalz confirmed it with his nod.

"But have you found out what was causing it?" Milly inquired looking all the more worried at the back room.

"Unfortunately no" was the nurse's response. "We had her whole body X-Rayed about an hour ago and did a complete CT scan of her body. But so far we've found nothing. We've given her a small dosage of painkillers and put her to sleep. We'll put her in one of the private rooms on the second floor until we can get more help from the main hospital wing in the city. With the amount of construction that princess Nunnally's is doing, we should be receiving aid soon. Also… you said that Ms. Fenette has been taking an overdose of pills, am I correct?"

"You mean those vitamin pills she's been having once every month?" Milly asked which was again confirmed with a nod. "Well yeah. I mean she has about two or three of them a day"

"Would you happen to know what she was taking? If we can confirm the overdose, we can analyze the illness faster"

"Well… she only told me that they were vitamin pills because her iron levels were low. But I have her mother's contact number. Maybe she would know"

"That would help a lot thank you" satisfied, the nurse closed the folder and bowed. "Don't worry. We'll take good care of her while she's here. I'll inform you should the situation change"

**(Mausoleum of 88 Emperors)**

The Mausoleum of 88 Emperors. Built during the great war of the Federation, the mausoleum served as a monument to the nation as a memorial for all the emperors that ruled over the land. Many emperors and empresses and their personal belongings were buried there to be passed on to the afterlife. The temple had been restricted as a tourist spot at times but served as a landmark for many.

Now… the mausoleum would serve Zero as a stage in which his dominance over the world would begin.

"Recovery of all General Tohdoh and the Knightmare forces have been confirmed" Hinata reported to the higher ups. A part of her sighed at the scene. Victory was so close at hand but Zero saw it best to withdraw before they became martyrs for the High Eunuchs.

"This location will a perfect spot for defense" Ohgi nodded looking at the strategic map. He quickly organized platoon leaders to station in rocky terrain and heavily dense forest to ambush enemy troops as they approach. Indeed Zero could see that he would be a capable leader, if only his confidence shot up. "How long until the Chinese Federation regroup and attack?"

"About an hour at best"

"We'll have to strengthen our defense if we're going to survive this attack" Minami quivered slightly. "But without reinforcements from Horai Island and the Indian forces against us, we're at the top of our necks here"

"Two hours is all we need" Zero suddenly stated to the group earning their stare. He always seemed to say the things that they don't understand when things get out of hand. "That amount of time will be sufficient"

It was then, the com channel opened up. "Master Zero" it was Jeremiah who was on the other line. "Forgive my tardiness. I opened the sluice gate just as you asked but I wasn't able to support your battle"

"I see that you're still alive. That's good" the masked leader sighed before answering. "Join up with me at the Mausoleum. (Understood) (Switch com) Tohdoh. Is the area secured? (Yes) Very good. Ohgi. I'm leaving you in charge of the defenses for now. We have reinforcements on their way but we need to hold this position until they arrive"

"Uh… yeah… sure"

Zero then took leave with C2 taking the elevator to the private quarters.

Even in silence C2 could tell that the masked man was taking a huge risk on mounting this operation. Now that the Black Knights are besieged both in their homeland and the forces outside, they were at their last straw. The only man they can look up to now was Zero.

"So… what's the plan?" she asked in her usual monotone voice. "You're not thinking of running off, are you?"

"That's a plan worth delving into" Zero chuckled in his reply. "However, if I do that then I will lose more than enough pieces to lose the war. I can rebuild an army whenever I want. Everyone here is expendable until their uses are fulfilled"

"Then how do you expect to drive off the Chinese Federation? Surely you can't simply be planning on waiting for Lloyd and his new toys"

Zero raised a brow under his mask, his invisible mask cracking. "Am I that transparent to you?"

"We're accomplices. There's no point in hiding things from me"

They later arrived at the soundproof quarters of the Ikaruga. Inside was a luxurious hotel room that was prepared just for such an occasion. Inside, Zero noted Lady Kaguya hugging over the empress like a big sister.

"Oh, master Zero" Ms. Sumeragi was the first to notice his presence and C2. "Are we safe?"

"Yes for a time" he answered calmly like there was no problem. "However… we may have a situation up our hands" he looked over to the empress who cowered under his gaze. To think that for a minute there, the young child actually had the courage to yell at him to protect Odysseus. "Lady Kaguya… (Hmm?) Would you and empress Lihua join me and C2 in a small casual walk?"

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Usually when a person invites someone for a walk, they would usually choose a place where they can relax or look at the scenery without interruption. A walk in the park would be a nice exercise for the body and walk in boulevard by the ocean under the moonlight would be romantic but no one would expect people to actually take a walk in a graveyard just for the heck of it.

Zero had brought the empress and Lady Kaguya out for a walk deep into the mausoleum. Jeremiah accompanied him as his escort carrying a flashlight to shine the way. As they went in deeper into the tomb, the darker it became. The statues of previous rulers came to be one after the other. Somehow this place seems to remind Lelouch of Ashford Academy's horror house. He even remembered using Kallen as an extra to be a grave monster or something.

Again, Zero turned through an intersection where there appeared to be electricity running. Much of the mausoleum had been protected by outlying force and anyone who tries to loot this place often meets with a horrible end. He wasn't even surprised to see some of the names in various graves to be intelligible either. With no protection from the air, it was only natural that the place would crumble through age.

Eventually Zero stopped on his tracks signaling to the group that they have arrived to where he wanted them to be.

"Um… master Zero?" Kaguya looked up to him in question. Though she trusts the man with her own innocence she still wondered what was going through his mind. "What are we doing here?"

Jeremiah looked at the grave where his master had stopped and pointed the flashlight on the statue. The name was imprinted at the bottom and from all the other statues here, this one appeared to be brand new. "Th… this is…"

"I came to visit someone" Zero gestured his mask towards the statue gazing at it. "I believe you remember them, your majesty"

The empress lifted her head and immediately without a doubt she was able to recognize the faces of her parents. "These are…"

"Yes… they are the tombs of Emperor Je Fu and Empress Sun Feilong. Your parents. Their bodies were cremated here along with many other great rulers of the Federation. I had heard that your father was a ruler who served the people. His death was… an unfortunate one if I may say so"

"You knew my parents?" Tianzi questioned innocently with her big round eyes. It was hard to believe that such a cute little girl like herself would actually be a symbol for billions of people around the world.

"Not personally but I heard from rumors at the Forbidden City that they were excellent leaders. They led the country to prosperity and peace, considering peace talks instead of the ways of the sword. It was how the Chinese Federation got so large in the first place" Zero lowered his head slightly at the altar as he spoke in respect of the two statues. "But to see the place they ruled to be crushed and squandered by measly politicians like the High Eunuchs is disgraceful"

The empress looked at the masked man and could not see what he meant with his big words. She hated big words and even more when she doesn't understand what they mean.

"Your parents thought of freedom and independence and led to the grand idea of creating the Chinese Federation. A place which all countries were to be equals. (Pause) But now… that in which they built is crumbling. The High Eunuchs have poisoned this land once pure to a state of no return. I know it may be hard for you to understand since you live in the Forbidden City your entire life. But while you whistle away in your palace, the people of your nation are suffering"

"But I thought the Eunuchs were in charge of maintaining the country and the empress's role is to be a sym…"

"If the king does not lead how can he expect his subordinates to follow?" Zero cut her off turning his head to meet hers. "Because of your father's untimely death, the High Eunuchs grabbed what remained of his power and used you to be their mediator to the people. Now they fly over the country like vultures feeding off a carcass"

But just as they talking, the ground below them began to rumble like the sound of a powerful engine running beneath their feet. Jeremiah looked over and thanks to his bionic hearing abilities he could hear things that were even a mile away.

"Master Zero… it's begun" the former margrave stated to the prince confirming that the siege has already begun.

Zero nodded and quickly dismissed him to join the fight. Conversation was not his greatest point.

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Back onboard the Ikaruga, Ohgi and the rest of the gang looked a bit like they're in a pickle. Though they had good reasons to be. The Chinese forces that gathered outside the mausoleum seemed to have doubled the last time they battled in Xiao Pei. With the Indian reinforcements and the High Eunuchs personal army gathered here, their numbers reach to almost half a thousand Knightmares.

Their own forces consisted of only a few squads of Knightmare piloted by only a handful of skilled fighters. If Kallen was with them they would believe that this would be an even match but now all they had to rely on was Tohdoh and hopefully Zero.

"WHAT!" Tamaki bellowed from the com channel after hearing the latest report. "Our reinforcements are turning on us! What the hell!"

"Calm down Tamaki" Ohgi urged his old friend trying not to lose his cool as well. "We still have the empress as a captive. They just can't start shooting at us" but his words were left empty when the first blind fire shell dropped in against the walls of the mausoleum. "What? What now!"

"It's a full scale bombardment!" one of the girls at the control panels reported in showing an aerial tactical map of the battle zone. "But that's insane! Don't they know if they take this whole place down it'll also kill the empress"

"Perhaps that was their intention all along" the former resistance grounded his teeth as he barked out orders for defense. The only useful move he could do now was to hold the enemies off until their reinforcement arrive. "Have Tamaki's unit up on the front with Inoue and Sugiyama. Commander Tohdoh will take the aerial combat. Have the bow mounted hadron cannon charge up as soon as possible"

"Well I guess I should be off too" Rakshata who has been sitting in her couch this whole time stood up and clasp her broken tobacco pipe. "Come now boys. We still have a lot of work to put on that old machine of ours"

"Commander Ohgi! Enemy air raid incoming!"

"Damn! Set up the slash harken boosters up top and have our anti-knightmare cannons to open fire!"

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The bombardment at the mausoleum continued relentlessly by the High Eunuchs forces. With their troops bolstered by the arrival of Indian forces and their own personal army, they seemed to be pretty confident about victory.

Xingke however could only stare in awe as the tomb of his homeland's greatest leaders was being desecrated by such foul acts. He cursed the Black Knights for using such a monument to be their final stronghold but his hatred for the High Eunuchs overwhelmed him in that contest.

"The High Eunuchs… they dare violate the sacred mausoleum for their petty ambitions!" his grip tightened on the handle of the Shen Hu as we watched the artillery unit continue their attack. "All forces cease fire! Her Imperial Empress is still inside the Ikaruga!"

But then an open channel came to answer his call. "You still don't understand, do you Xingke? Generation upon generation of emperors are buried there"

"In short, it's a grave"

"A good place to bury our current empress"

"We've already arranged a new empress to replace her. A puppet bride would look nicely match on Prince Odysseus on their wedding photo. Don't you agree?"

A switch snapped inside Xingke's head as he heard them laugh at such manner. He was disgusted with those poppet snob nose eunuchs ever since he laid eyes on them. He buried his resentment against them for many years already but never before had they ever insulted the empress and treating her like another one of their useless pawns just to be discarded whenever they please. Unable to control his emotions any longer, he drew out his short sword and charged blindly at the Ziggurat.

"You dare to say this about her majesty!" but his charge quickly came to a stop when another aerial Knightmare parried his attack. "What the! The Tristian? The Knights of the Round… here!"

"Did you really think we'd forgive you after you plotted against us?" another of the eunuchs snickered through the com air waves. "We already gave you a chance to redeem yourself in Xiao Pei, to save our empress, but you failed miserably. So therefore… we have more powerful forces to serve us now"

"Damn you all!" Xingke floated back a bit trying to give his opponent some distance. "A Variable Knightmare Frame… the Tristian. A formidable opponent"

"So you're the one?" Gino spoke up smirking at his enemy. "The one who started the coup at the palace? I'd have to say you certainly do have the style. It would've been a success if Zero didn't come along to ruin your party"

"Stand aside Britannian, this concerns my country alone!"

"But the High Eunuchs represent your country… well internationally speaking of course" Gino launched his two giant harkens at him, attacking even from a distance with great accuracy. "Besides… you captured the Guren too, isn't that right? I happen to have some unfinished business with that Knightmare and its pilot. You pretty much won with pure luck"

"Then it will bring me honor to destroy you first!" the two forces clashed, battling it out with only their skill and wits to back them up.

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Back inside the mausoleum, the rumbling sound began to grow louder as the artillery bombed the hardened structure from the walls. Pieces of rock fell over but still the place looked firm enough to hold for at least another twenty minutes at best. The empress grabbed hold of Kaguya who remained by her side while Zero in silence, his flashlight revealing only what appeared to be his mask.

"What was that?"

"A full scale bombardment" Zero answered them with little surprise. He expected this much from the High Eunuchs. Knowing that they had full control of the situation they must've had a backup plan for the marriage meeting. "This now shows that the empress has become obsolete to the High Eunuchs. They no longer care whether you live or die from this place"

"But why?" Kaguya asked for her. "Don't they care about her? She's supposed to be the most important figure in the federation"

"They thought of a backup plan just in case. With the empress dead they'll probably just put another puppet bride for Prince Odysseus to marry. With that done, the Chinese Federation will belong to Britannia along with the United States of Japan. This I cannot allow" Zero then placed the flashlight at the tomb of the empress's parents and showed a silent prayer clapping his hands twice. "I desire only to grant his wish"

"His wish?" the empress gave a look.

"Yes. Though I may not look like it, the people of the world see me as a man who grants wishes for them"

"Grants wishes? Like a genie?"

A chuckle escaped the masked hero. "I'm afraid not, your majesty. I do not have a lamp for which you could rub nor do I have a magic carpet to fly you around Agrabah. But I will tell you that my power is true. I have more than a million satisfied customers who can vouch for me"

"A million!" the empress's eyes widened in astonishment. Her childish side believing in such power but her small logical side thinking that it was just a hoax. "Really?"

"Indeed. All the people of Japan, I have granted their wish" he explained which somehow caught Kaguya's attention. "They all desired freedom from Britannia and so I granted them that freedom"

"So is that why you are here? To grant the people their freedom?"

But Zero only shook his head in reply. "No… I'm afraid that is not their wish. The wish of the Chinese Federation is a lot more complicated than that. They do not wish for freedom from their rulers… but rather a sense of justice in the world (Justice?) Yes. A sense where truth is revealed and evil is punished for its crimes. Justice… is what the people of your nation truly desire"

Tianzi's eyes widened again for the fifth time today. She was now baffled by Zero's words. Even though some of the words he used were rather complicated and hard to understand for a young girl like her, she couldn't help but image him to be some kind of hero. "Can you… truly?" she asked, begging to the gods that he might grant her wish.

"And so my young empress" Zero knelt down to her height and offered his hand to her. "Tell me… what is it that you truly wish for?"

**(Avalon) (Holding Cell)**

Kallen never like jails. Not that she's ever been one until today that is. Usually a prisoner would be allowed to walk freely in the holding cell without any restriction whatsoever, but due to her reputation of being Zero's personal bodyguard and the first non-Britannian to ever top the Knights of the Round they had to take precaution of binding her limbs. The guards even mocked her by placing a tray of food in front of her face.

But just as she tried to tip a spoonful of soup to her mouth, she noted a presence slowly approaching her cell. At first she thought it was just a guard doing the usual checkup but when the man came, she could not hold back the scowl coming from her face.

Suzaku Kururugi…

"So… we finally meet face to face" she muttered under her breath looking over at the traitor of Japan. "How long has it been since we saw each other back at Mt. Fuji? A year?" the Knight of Seven opened the door and allowed himself in, his gaze fixed upon the bounded redhead. "So what? Are you here to interrogate me or torture me?"

"Kallen… it really is you after all" the traitorous son of the late prime minister stood at attention not even accepting the girl's spiteful stare. "I thought you would quit the Black Knights when Zero was gone… but I see you're still in the organization despite what has happened"

"Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? Or… are you testing my loyalty?"

"I'm offering you a chance of redemption Kallen. (Hmm?) If it were up to the royal family, you would've been executed right on the spot for rebellion. However… since you still carry the name Stadtfelt, your punishment can be lowered to a short time period of imprisonment. But… with my position as a Knight of the Round, I can forego a procedure to a full pardon"

"That's a pretty generous offer coming from a man like yourself"

"But under one condition" Kallen wasn't surprise. She knew that the offer was too good to be true without some sacrifice. She was already even considering his offer just in case Zero fails in his attempt of rescue. "You must promise me that you will leave the Black Knights" that alone made Kallen laugh. She heard plenty of jokes before but this one definitely took the cake.

"You're pretty naïve Suzaku…" the red head stated even though she wasn't much in a position to offer threats. "I thought you'd know me better by the time we had our last duel"

"It's an offer most prisoners would take in a heartbeat" the boy added giving her an annoyed look. "You don't have to do this Kallen. Whatever Zero is offering you for your loyalty, I can give it. His words are nothing but empty promises and false lies. His methods involved nothing but violence and murder! You can do much better as…" he never got to finish when he noted the girl throwing her spoon using only her mouth. It wasn't just an act of courage or strength but also an act of anger and defiance to the bitter end.

"Shut up!" the Guren pilot let out a roar that was probably more terrifying than your average Knightmare engine. "Empty promises? Are you just as blind as you are pitiful! How many lives have you taken to get to get to where you are! You promised to give Japan back to the people but instead you became the very thing you hoped to destroy! Zero… he… he never broke his promise! He promised us Japan and he gave it to us! What did you do to make the Japanese feel better! All you've been doing is siding with the enemy and fighting for their profit! While we rebuilt Japan with our blood and sweat, what have you been doing!"

"How can you even call that country Japan!" the boy countered with his own yell. He didn't like raising his voice to old friends like this but the girl simply irritated him. She was a true Black Knight and it was already obvious that she sold not just her loyalty to Zero, but her soul as well. Persuading her to abandon that cause was like trying to stop a herd of elephants from trampling over you. "The country that you made was built by the blood of the innocents! The Black Knights, the Japanese! Don't you see he's just using you to achieve his own goals!"

"So what if he is lying!" Suzaku recoiled from her counter. "It's true that there's a possibility that he may be lying even to me. But even so… he possesses something that we don't. The belief and will to make miracles happen even when all hope is lost. To be honest… whenever I look at him, he kind of reminds me of my older brother, Naoto. (Pause) Whenever he would go to meet with Ohgi and the resistance fighters or go off to one of his dangerous missions he would always lie to me. Saying that he was going on a hike or something. He would always lie… to keep me and my mother safe from Britannia. But I guess Zero is probably the same. He promises our freedom and he gave it to us"

"Kallen…" Suzaku was rather shock since he didn't know Kallen had a sibling. His anger dissipated as it was replaced with pity.

"Save your pity for someone else. I don't need it… especially from you"

"Kallen… is there no I can…" his train of thoughts stopped when one of the royal guards approached the cell.

"Sir Kururugi. Prince Schneizel has given orders to move out. The Lancelot has been prepped in the hanger bay just as you instructed"

Suzaku hesitated for a moment but followed nonetheless. The royal orders are not one to be taken lightly especially when it came to one of the most powerful man in the empire.

**(Mausoleum of 88 Emperors) (Ikaruga)**

"Left flank unit has suffered heavy casualties!"

"Our right flank can't take many more hits either. Our center line is holding. There also appears to be rebellion breaking in the enemy's formation but we don't have much information due to the enemy's ECM interference"

Ohgi who was left in command on board the Ikaruga could only watch as his numbers dwindled by the minute. Zero gave explicit orders to hold out their position as long as possible. He made every countermeasures in the book but still the overwhelming numbers of the High Eunuchs personal forces and not to mention with the assistance of Prince Schneizel and his royal cohorts along with the Knights of the Round, they were put on their own edge. Tohdoh had already left along with his remaining Holy Swords and Chiba was holding her own at the center with her customized Akatsuki but without Kouzuki, their firepower were halved.

"Deploy our reserves at the left flank!" Minami beckoned, recommending that they were able to hold at least one flank if not both. With the constant air raids done by enemy choppers and bombers they were beginning to feel the Radiant Shield losing its touch. "Have Sugiyama and Tamaki's unit reinforce the center"

**(Dragon Cavalry battle lines)**

Hong Gu watched in pure utter shock when he saw a portion of his forces cut down. It was a losing battle definitely but it was one they had to fight nonetheless. He thought that he could withdraw to the Black Knights location and bolster their defenses with his troops but he soon found that impossible due to the fact that they were now completely surrounded on all sides. The Gun Rus were indeed made to surround an enemy army and barrage them with a hail of bullets and cannon fire.

"Damn… this isn't good. With Xingke pinned down we're all on our own on this battle" he stopped momentarily when he saw a familiar giant Knightmare floating down to their position. "The… the Mordred is here! How did she get through our battle lines!"

Anya scanned her surroundings for a moment and noted that the numbers were indeed suited for the Mordred's fighting style. "All rebel forces… annihilate them" and with a push of a button, hundreds of heat seeking missiles fired, blasting a portion of the Dragon Cavalry with relative ease"

"Split into three groups! Surround her and fire!"

But the mere shells of guns were no match for the Mordred's mighty shield system. They literally bounced off her barrier and fall harmlessly to the floor. Xingke noted his men's trouble and quickly moved in for the kill but was halted by the Tristian. With both sides dwindling in terms of numbers they were on their last stretch of being defeated.

**(The Avalon)**

"Prince Schneizel, we're receiving a transmission from the Slepnir. Should I patch it through"

The prime minister of Britannia raised a curious brow. "The Slepnir? Is Nina well? (Yes your highness) Very well, patch her in on the main screen"

It was then the green haired scientist's face appeared on the main screen. "Your highness. Forgive me for my late arrival"

"It's quite alright Nina" the prince reassured her. "The situation is under control at the moment. The Black Knights are now trapped in the mausoleum and we have full advantage of the battle. There's no need for you to sully your hands in this conflict"

"Yes your highness, but wouldn't a single shot from the Mordred's Stark Hadron cannon would demolish the mausoleum wouldn't it?"

Schneizel gave a curious look to the woman but did not let it become apparent to his face. "Well that's true if we actually wanted to crush Zero and the Black Knights. But if we do that then the High Eunuchs will accuse us for killing their empress. I know that you and I wish to end this fight quickly but we cannot allow ourselves to act as we wish here on foreign land. The High Eunuchs will have to make that blunder for any negotiation to be made plausible"

"I… I understand your highness"

**(Front lines)**

Jeremiah gritted his teeth as he lost count on how many Gun Rus and helicopters he took out. He was a skilled pilot indeed and his FLOAT unit allowed him to be in advantageous surroundings but even he did not possess unlimited bullets. He fired off round after round after round but with each unit he took down another hundred were of them ready to take its place.

"Damn… more of them?" he aimed his Sutherland rifle and unleashed a barrage of bullets until the clip was finally empty. "Come all of you! Come and face me, Jeremiah Gottwald!" he used his tonfas to knock a couple of Gun Rus out of their place but was quickly halted when a barrage of bullets came down to him like raindrops. "Damn! A barrage!"

He tried to dodge the fire but wasn't quick enough. His body took several hits and his leg and arm were torn down to pieces. It wasn't long until he also noticed the auto eject beeping up again from his console.

"NOT THIS TIME! (WHACK!)" he slammed his mechanical fist on the monitor canceling the eject program instantly. "I can still do it! I can still fight! I can still serve his majesty!"

But then he noted one of his monitor screens popping Rakshata's face. "Oh Jeremiah~~ Your toy is ready…"

**(Dragon Cavalry formation)**

"HAAAAAA!" Xingke clashed again and again against Gino's Knightmare but found himself to be on equal footing. The Knights of the Round have truly proven themselves to be worthy fighters capable of holding themselves even in a pinch such as this. "Damn it… he's fierce" but then he suddenly noted from the corner of his eye a large bombardment occurring near the Ikaruga. "Your majesty! Damn! Hong Gu, can you break through the enemy lines and reach the enemy artillery positions?"

"We can't! The enemy has entrenched itself in those positions. We won't be able to attack with our limited firepower"

There was no choice. Xingke was in a bad situation and it was only a matter of time before his entire company gets wiped off the face of the map. He had to make one last gambit if he was to ever recover from this trap. "Then we only have one option. Hong Gu. Focus all your firepower on the eastern hill. Wipe out the enemies there and withdraw to Changban. While the Eunuchs are busy dealing with the Black Knights you can make your escape"

"B… but what about you?"

"I won't leave here without her majesty. Even if it costs me my life I will save her. But, at least the lot of you should be able to escape. I won't drag you down because of my incompetence"

"Lord Xingke…"

"Now go! While you still have a chance! I'll hold them off here!" The young dragon of the federation launched himself to the enemy battle positions putting his whole heart into the fight. Gino found it admirable to see such a man putting himself in the front to protect his subordinate but it was useless. No matter how strong the Dragon Cavalry were they were still outnumbered a hundred to one. Their exit was blocked heavily by guns, cannons, Knightmares and an entire garrison of infantry. So even if their talent were superior they stood no chance in escaping.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ready all batteries!" the high eunuch ordered to his men. "Aim at the Shen Hu. Burn it to the ground until there is nothing left"

"We hear and obey!"

Xianglin tried to scream out but her mouthpiece denied her that pleasure. If she had just one of her hands she could probably choke one of the eunuchs down to the ground before the guards even realize what was happening.

"Lord Ho" a guard approached the eunuch giving out a salute. "With your permission, we'll take the captive to the prison cell down below" the eunuch nodded and quickly did the guards take the woman out. She struggled at first, shaking her shoulders around slamming one of the guards down and pushing the other with her feet she believed that if she struggled enough, the ropes around her would be undone and that she would have a chance against the traitorous eunuchs. But she quickly stopped when one of them whispered to her ear. "Don't make a scene… we're with the Black Knights…"

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"HAAAAA!" again Xingke charged in, attempting to break the enemy's focus onto himself. He thought that he would get some of their companies to focus fire on him but instead he had the whole army breathing down his neck barraging him with a typhoon of lead, steel and fire. He used his electric whip harken to deflect the shots away but even his powerful Knightmare was not a match to an army. With each direct hit to his body, his movements became slower and his reflexes became less efficient. He was making moves that were unnecessary as well. "Geh…!" blood spilled from his lips as his condition worsened by the minute.

"Not yet… I can still go on. At least with this… Hong Gu and the others can… escape"

From a distance… Gino stayed his halberd down as he knew that the warrior was finished. His energy was spent from defending his troops. "Man… Xingke… if you joined Britannia willingly… I have a good feeling you and I would've been good buddies…" he looked below to the large numbers of Gun Rus positioning themselves in a firing line. It was saddening. It almost looked like the man was position right in front of a firing squad. "I guess… this is it for you"

Hong Gu was not in good shape either. His Knightmare had been damaged and many of his comrades had been slain. It was only a matter of time before he followed them to the afterlife. "Damn it all… it… it can't end like this"

"Hong Gu!" a hail of bullets rained on the soldiers and soon all but Xingke and a few men remained on sight. "No! I can't let it end like this! Hold on Shen Hu! My life is yours. Take it if you must… but at least give me the strength to save my friends! All these years I've been trying to keep a promise that I made with her majesty. So please…! I don't care what happens to me… but please… save those who are precious to me!"

"If that is truly your wish" a voice suddenly echoed in the entire battlefield when the next wave of cannon fire hurled onto the blue Knightmare. An invisible smile cracked in the shadow. "Then it is granted!"

Explosions bellowed the whole battlefield and smoke followed in its wake. The high eunuchs grinned evilly from ear to ear believing that their greatest enemy has finally fallen under their guns. But just as a massive gust of wind blew the fog away, their grin died and their eyes bulged out of their sockets as a dark frame made its appearance for the first time.

In time, the voice that echoed earlier resurfaced and now everyone could tell who it belonged to. "Attention members of the Chinese Federation and all you who have power! I am Zero… a rebel against those who raise their hands against the weak!"

"Zero!" Xingke gasped…

"Zero…!" Hong Gu lifted his head looking through the damaged screen showing the black Knightmare that protected his master.

"Zero!" Suzaku motioned to his weapons as he saw his archenemy make his appearance at last. "He came to the frontlines himself?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Even the high Eunuchs were speechless of the man's appearance. To think that the enemy's supreme commander and leader of the most notorious organization in the world would actually present himself at the front was unheard of. "Why are you stopping! All units, wipe him and Xingke out!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The loyalist of the eunuchs readied to fire another wave and the Knights of the Round braced themselves as well. But before any of them could even move an inch, a hail of missiles that seemingly appeared out of nowhere rained down on them blasting their encirclement to bits.

"Geh! What the heck!" even Gino was caught unaware of the sudden attack. "Where the hell did those come from? Anya, are you ok?"

"No damage…" was her monotone response.

**(Avalon)**

"Raise the forward shield back up immediately!" one of Schneizel's staff officers ordered to the crew who were scattered from the unexpected barrage. "Damage report! (Minimum sir!) Where the hell did those missiles come from? I thought this entire area was secured by the Chinese Federation"

Kanon recovered from the attack and quickly checked on his master. "Your highness are you alright?"

The prince waved it off. "Yes I'm fine Kanon. It's only a minor bump. Can you give me the situation on the field?"

"Yes your highness. (Beep beep) Eh?" the radar officer looked puzzled. "Sir! We've tracked the origin of the missiles! They… they were fire from… the Avalon…"

The whole crew raised a brow in question of that statement. The staff officer looked at the man and barked. "The Avalon! Are you mad? We are the Avalon! How can we possibly shoot ourselves?"

But Prince Schneizel appeared to already have a theory in his head. "No… unless of course they're using the ship with the same design. (Sir?) Before this… there was another Avalon stationed in Japan… over a year ago…"

**(Ikaruga)**

"Howdy do~~~ home delivery service here. Did someone order a special deluxe 2 for the price of 1?" to all the Black Knights stationed on board the Ikaruga… none had ever thought that they would actually be relieved to hear the voice of the most annoying scientist in the history of science.

"That voice… is that… Lloyd?" Ohgi wondered.

But Rakshata simply puffed on her newly made tobacco pipe as she heard it. "So… the Earl of Pudding decides to make his dramatic entrance? How cliché…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the field, Zero looked over to his screens where Elie and Monica's face appeared. "Forgive us for our late arrival my lord. We had difficulty traversing the area. But now that we are here… the battle can shift to our favor"

"Indeed it can" Zero grinned inwardly as he saw his ultimate pieces come into play. "Elie… deploy at the center of the field. (Yes!) Monica, position yourself at the front of our forces. Your display of might will make the enemy think twice about facing us head on. (Yes… your majesty)"

When the smoke finally cleared up, the sight of the second Avalon came into the light. It hovered of the battlefield rather elusively but its sight rivaled its successor in terms of size. Quickly did the hanger bay doors open and within seconds, two machines dropped onto the field.

**(Avalon)**

"Two unknown units have been deployed onto the field!" the helmsman reported. "The second Avalon that appeared seems to have launched a single Knightmare and… a giant tank?"

"A tank?"

**(Frontlines)**

Monica Kruszewski sat in her giant battle frame as it literally dropped onto the solid earth with a loud clang. The metal felt little vibration to the impact and she barely even felt anything on her seat. The cockpit she was sitting in was three times larger than that of an average Knightmare. It had more controls than Diethard's central station and had excellent legroom to boot. There was even a giant cup holder at the side of her chair just in case she brought in some drinks for the fight.

"Monica…" she heard Zero's voice coming from the com channel. "Eliminate the enemy forces surrounding me and Xingke"

His orders… were absolute. "Yes… your majesty" with the flip of a switch the giant battle tank that was placed on the battlefield began to morph into another being entirely. The brown Knightmare with a silver horned head showed its true color. It towered over the regular frames over by a large margin which made it all the more intimidating. The twin guns at the top moved to the shoulder and the wheels began to show signs of limbs and even small chambers of Gatling guns became apparent on its arms and legs. Missile pods opened and as a final touch… a Vulcan turret on its head piece. With one glance alone… every soldiers on the field could tell that this was the END GAME unit. A checker that outdoes all.

"No one can outmatch… The Constantine…"

A light squeeze of trigger and all hell broke loose. Guns and cannons blazed like there was no tomorrow. Missiles launched over and over and shells of fired rounds covered its entire ground in fraction of a second. Those who were at its mercy didn't get the chance to scream when their frames exploded into oblivion. Those who were able to scream didn't really last long either to see the next sunrise as they too suffered the same fate.

"This is insane!" Gino flew out after recovering from the sudden barrage. Though the bullets weren't aimed at him per say, they were more than enough to cut the High Eunuch's airpower in half. He knew that if this went on then this battle would turn instantly. "No way I'm letting you get away with this!" but before he could strike, another frame blocked his way. A frame just as frail looking as his but with its right arm replaced by a giant lance instead. "Wha!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Elie grinned before tossing the Tristian away with his lance. "You must be Gino Weinberg, the Knight of Three"

"Yeah… and you are?" the blonde knight of the round challenged him.

"My name is not important. But know that you have bitten more than your mouth can chew! The magic of Merlin shall be your end!" suddenly the tip of the lance opened up, revealing a giant flamethrower within. "Burn for my master!"

"Whoa… talk about being too hot"

"You haven't changed a bit either… Gino…" Monica's voice rung on the young knight's com channel.

"What?" he gasped recognizing the voice of the caller. "That voice… it can't be… Monica? Monica Kruszewski, is that you?"

"Long time no see…"

"But that's impossible! The records said that you died in Kanagawa during the Battle for Japan! You were killed by the Guren Pilot! Geh!" he stopped momentarily when the Merlin attacked him during his unfocused set of mind. "Damn!"

"You let yourself get distracted easily" Elie smirked landing another blow at the Tristian's arm. "Now this is your end!" but the boy quickly moved away when he noted several heat seeking missiles launched from below. "Whoa… cutting it a little close there"

"All traitors of the empire… must be destroyed" Anya motioned in her Mordred firing another barrage only to raise her shields back up when the Constantine sent a hail of bullets at her direction. "Mere shells… are useless"

"Is that so?" Monica asked as if she was being challenged. "Then why don't we put it to the test?" she aimed all her batteries at the single Knightmare and fired. Such merciless hail of metal, fire and gunpowder made the ultimate combination for a smoked barbeque.

But even so… Anya's superior armor appeared to have felt a small hint of damage. A few burn marks and a few bullet holes but nothing too severe. But even so… that alone proved that her frame was not invincible as one would like to believe.

"Elie, Monica" Zero called out to them. "Ignore the Knights of the Round for now. Get back in formation and regroup at the Ikaruga. Huh? (ZEROOOO!) Suzaku…"

Suzaku charged out ignoring his previous fight with master Tohdoh. He aimed to cut the head of the snake and end this war as quickly as possible. His blade however wasn't able to get far when a giant slash harken struck his left side. "What the!"

"You dare try to harm my master!" Jeremiah's voice boomed over the land as he appeared in a giant Orange Knightmare frame. "You will have to face me first!"

"Lord Jeremiah! But… but why!"

"Suzaku Kururugi. I owe you a debt for saving my life. I sympathize with you, I respect you. But in this case… loyalty trumps all!" the former margrave fired his cannon against the Lancelot and reappearing behind him then using the Siegfried's electrical trap system. "Feel this! The storm of my loyalty!" a pack of missiles opened, and bombarded the area wiping out many of the High Eunuch's forces. "Yes… this is it! With this machine… with this machine I can! I can serve his majesty!"

"You've picked a bad time for piety!" Suzaku fired his VARIS gun at him and quickly withdrew back to a safer distance.

Zero noted that his enemies were now on the verge of confusion. With the appearance of his aces and the arrival of various Knightmares that wiped out their vanguard forces they were placed in a standstill. Once he knew all the danger to himself were out of the way he could focus on mocking his previous opponent. "How pathetic Xingke. You were betrayed by your own government and you couldn't even save your own troops from their destruction. (Tehehe) Don't you see it now? You need me… I'm the only ally you can rely on"

"You think I'll just become your subordinate just like that? Zero!" Xingke yelled back readying his weapons as if preparing for a fight.

"Subordinate? Hahahahahaha! You think I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart? No… I am merely following the wish of your empress. She has the potential to lead your nation if groomed correctly. Her passion, her strong will and her naivety and her innocence is what this country solely needs for a fresh start! And you and I will be the ones who give her that power!"

"You think your army has the power to change the course of this war!"

"No" was the masked vigilante's answer. "The power to change this war lies in your empress. When given the right nudge… not even you could possibly stop her" he then looked over to his screen which was now portraying a Chinese Federation news channel. "The show is about to start…"

On every TV screen throughout the Chinese Federation, this channel was tuned on like a New Year's party live show. The introduction came first and people thought that it was just some emergency broadcast or something but when the Chinese Empress came into view, a series of gasps echoed throughout the country.

Jiang Lihua, empress of the federation looked at the camera with a strong determined face. Even though she knew that over a million people were watching her she knew how to act and how to behave in these sorts of situation. She remembered how her mother and father would stand or sit in front of a crowd. Their image in front of the people should be strict with order but also with some hint of passion and kindness.

"P… people of the Chinese F… federation" she began trying her best not to stutter her words. "My name is Jiang Lihua. The daughter of the heavenly emperor and the cherry empress. D… due to the current international incident occurring in the recent day I am here to make a declaration th… that will be effect… effective immediately" she raised her hand in rhythm gesturing to the figure next to her. "Because of the recent reb… rebellion happening in Luoyang, I hereby place the prime minister of Japan, Ms. Kaguya Sumeragi as a member of the royal eunuch court. One that rises above all members of the council. I hereby grant her the title of grant her the title of Grand Eunuch!"

**(Ziggurat)**

"Grand eunuch!" the members of the High Eunuchs gasped. "Is she mad!"

"Cut off the broadcast! Hurry!"

"We're trying!" the officer in charge of call replied. "But we can't get a hold of CTV or any other station either!"

**(Avalon)**

"Grand Eunuch" Kanon raised a brow questioningly as he never heard of that title before. "Is there such a title? I thought that the High Eunuchs were supposed to be on equal footing?"

"It's probably just a made up one" Prince Schneizel assumed, his hands resting on his chair as always. "But to the people it must sound like a legitimate title. Perhaps that it what they aimed for"

It was then the camera zoomed onto Lady Kaguya Sumeragi who remained in her original attire. "Thank you your majesty" she took a step forward before addressing to the entire nation her intentions. "People of the federation. As you all know a rebellion had occurred earlier today in the Vermillion Forbidden City. During the wedding ceremony that was to ensure peace between the nation of Britannia and the Chinese Federation, the High Eunuchs launched a coup d'état in which goal they aimed to assassinate both the empress and Prince Odysseus. (WHAT!) However… thanks to the heroic efforts of Commander Li Xingke of the Lao Dong, the attack was thwarted"

Kanon was now jaw dropping at this point. It was now obvious that the Black Knights were now attempting to use the media to orchestrate the biggest lie in the history of war. "Are they making up a whole new story for the whole world to hear?"

"Because of the emergency of this situation and as a representative of the empress, I am hereby ordering a massive counterattack against the High Eunuchs. To lead this force, I am hereby promoting General Li Xingke to supreme commander of all Chinese Federation forces. General Xingke… do you accept this position?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xingke paused as he realized that the woman was waiting for his reply. He looked around for a moment and noticed that every soldier on the battlefield had stopped shooting. It was as if the whole battle has been placed in a pause. He then looked over to Zero's Knightmare, the Shinkiro and knew then that this was all just a part of his plan. With no other choice, he opened a free channel on his com and replied in bold words. "This is General Li Xingke of the Lao Dong and commander of the Dragon Cavalry. I hereby accept this responsibility"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kaguya nodded to his response and quickly returned her gaze back to the camera. "Very well. Also… due to the urgency of this situation… I am also requesting the aid of a neutral nation to help us in quelling this rebellion. To provide with logistical and tactical support, I am now extending my request for aid to the Black Knights! (Gasps!) Master Zero, do you accept?"

The screen then opened another box with the face of the masked man appearing with a sense of the theatrical. "Yes! Those who use their powers unjustly and strike those who are weak will be dealt with! I, Zero, leader of the Black Knights, hereby accept this invitation!"

Kaguya again nodded and returned her gaze to the camera before addressing her final words. "And lastly, in the current situation given to us and the rebellion that has broken throughout the nation… I Kaguya Sumeragi, Grand Eunuch of the Federation with the blessing of her majesty, the empress hereby plead the request for aid from Prince Schneizel who is present in our borders"

This time, even the Black Knights who were on board the Ikaruga couldn't help but widened their eyes in surprise. This was not just any request… this was a demand!

"Prince Schneizel… do you accept?"

"W… what is all this?" Gino jaw hung opened as he heard the words clearly in his ear. They just requested helped from them, their mortal enemy.

Suzaku was paralyzed as well, unable to grasp the situation that had come to hand. "Is it… is it possible? Are you saying that the Black Knights are asking help from… Britannia?"


	26. Forged Alliance

**Chapter 26: The Forged Alliance**

**(Britannia) (Ashford University Infirmary)**

Rivalz and Milly waited patiently that afternoon watching over Shirley who slept peacefully on the infirmary bed, completely unaware of the war that was waging on the other side of the world. While they waited for their friend to wake up from her sedated state, Milly, who was bored to her mind couldn't help but look around envious of Lelouch's facilities. It kind of reminded her about the time when she too was still a noble.

It wasn't long then until Villeta Nu entered the room quietly after being called from the teacher's longue. "Sorry I'm late" she said through pants. "I came by as soon as I got the call"

"Coach Villeta?" Milly looked at the woman who entered. "What are you doing here?"

"I got a call from one of Lelouch's doctors saying that Shirley was brought to the infirmary. Did they tell you what's wrong with her?"

"No not really…" Rivalz answered. "She collapsed in the student council building a few hours ago. She was in real pain that time but the doctors said that she'll be just fine now. I got so worried I thought I was going to get a heart attack"

"You sound like a guy who just heard that his son was born" Milly added grinning evilly at the poor boy. "You'll make a great father one day. (Prez… please don't joke) In any case. Shirley should be just fine now. She's asleep for the time being"

"Well I guess that's one good news" Villeta let out a sigh of relief. "But if it's as serious as being taken to a hospital I'll have no other choice but to remove her from the triathlon coming this week. Such a shame. And she was looking forward about it too. In any case. You two better get home as well. There's been an announcement earlier. We have the whole week off"

"Again?" the president of the student council inquired. "That's the third time this month. I might not be a big fan on studying and all but we haven't had class since… forever! I'm actually starting to get bored with all this free time" and to hear those words coming from the party princess herself was enough to make the gods choke on their drinks.

"Now that you mentioned it, we've been getting long holidays lately" Rivalz noted as he had already forgotten when he last had class. He had to admit that having long holidays were good at times. The student council was finally able to catch on their work and the various clubs around campus had more time to prepare for the Christmas festival. But in all honesty, all this free time was really draining all their fun activities. The movies in the theaters were booked fool, the arcade was cramped up and even the various entertainment sectors were having a hard time booking their next customers in a five year waiting list.

"Anyway, I'll have to inform Shirley's mother when she comes back from Area 7" Villetta added groaning all the same. She was hoping to get some rest along the way now that Lelouch was gone. With the OSI firmly in that boy's pockets worked had tripled at best. Though she didn't have to keep watch over him 24/7, the man had made the organization his own personal army of secretaries. He had officers hopping from one province to the next while at the same time making contacts with resistance forces throughout the world. With his personal connection with the OSI, he began expanding his influence throughout the empire. Hollington was now a hub for Numbers and Britannians alike. Even by the minutes, more and more people and slaves moved into those lands hoping for a better future.

But while the student council members rejoiced on Shirley's recovery, they remained oblivious to the great war that was happening on the other side of the Earth.

**(Mausoleum of 88 Emperors) (Avalon)**

"Prince Schneizel… do you accept?" those were the words that left Kaguya Sumeragi that night as her eyes remained unchanged on the video screen in front of the Avalon's monitor. On her left and right side were two small boxes where Zero and Xingke's face stood also unwavering. The weight of their stare was enough to make any hard boiled criminal beg on his knees and confess his crimes. Heck even Kanon felt a little steam rising from his suit just by watching this monitor.

"What is this?" one of the prince's advisors raised a brow in question of Zero's plan. "Do they plan to ask for aid from the empire? Surely this plan of his is flawed in every turn"

"It could be just another orchestrated plan done by Zero" Kanon theorized also agreeing seeing that this plan was imperfect. To actually ask Britannia to switch sides was just plain insane. The other advisors agreed and saw this to be nothing more but a ruse for the masked vigilante to gain more screen time.

"No…" but they stopped immediately when Schneizel spoke up. "It's a carefully elaborated plan. You could say… that he has me… in check…" it was rare to see Prince Schneizel give out praise to someone. Though he does give a lot of them to his own siblings it was even rarer to see him admit a lost in a battle. "At the moment, Zero has this whole country dancing at the palm of his hands"

"But he's asking the entire federation to for assistance. Surely no one would actually support a terrorist group publically"

"No… this is only a signal to the world…" Schneizel answered back squinting his eyes a bit. "With this act, it proves to everyone that the government of the Chinese Federation, no longer has control over its own people and power. Even if no one answers Zero's call they will still break away from the Federation and declare themselves independence. Once that happens, the remaining countries will empty their weapons against one another making them easy picking for the Black Knights to take over"

"So… what should we do?"

"We are in a very delicate situation at this moment. For now… Zero has generously given us three options" Schneizel looked over to the screen and sighed impressively at the man's tactics. He spoke carefully and calmly like he always does to keep everyone around him at ease but in truth his mind was singing all kinds of praises to the masked vigilante. "All of which are downfall. If we choose to aid the High Eunuchs in this battle, it would look to the world that we were the ones who plotted the rebellion and we will be treated as the villains"

"What if we just leave and ignore their request? Letting both sides fight it off?" Kanon suggested deeming it to be the most efficient political move. Seeing that both the Black Knights and the Eunuchs exhaust their resource on a petty squabble.

"No… Zero would only accuse us to be the mastermind behind this coup and again we will fall as the enemy of the federation"

"But if that's the case then how… are we supposed to act?"

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"You… you mean… you planned this far ahead even when all the cards are held by the enemy's hands?"

"Correct" Zero stated to the concerned Xingke who now looked like nothing more but a bug ready to be squished. Knowing well what Schneizel's answer would be, Zero could only smirk. He was anxious of hearing the man's statement on screen and was almost 100 percent sure that the outcome would be to his satisfaction. _"With both of those options leading only to Britannia's demise you can only do what's expected of you Schneizel. Your pride as a member of the royal family demands that you openly cooperate. It was thanks to you that I was able to formulate this plan…"_

"I simply stole your strategy and implemented a couple of my own methods into the plan. A brilliant signature, wouldn't you agree?" he stifled a laugh before contacting the hanger bay. "Engineering. Replace Xingke's FLOAT system with one of our own and charge his energy filler as well. I want the Shen Hu in battle ready condition within the hour"

"Of course, Master Zero"

Xingke raised a brow. "What? What are you?"

"You're not out of the fight yet Xingke. You still have an army to lead…"

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"_Zero… is this what he meant when he played that game of chess with me back in the wedding reception in the Forbidden City?"_ Schneizel pondered on the thought of Zero's plan but saw no flaw it in. With the arrival of the new Knightmares and the appearance of a new capital ship the Black Knight Avalon, it was fairly obvious who was going to win this match. _"With all of this… he only leaves me with one option…"_

Kanon also had to admit that he was impressed with Zero. In all his life serving the 2nd prince he has never seen one who was able to match the prime minister in a game of wits and strategy. But now seeing his beloved prince backed into a corner with very little option he had to believe that there was indeed a first time for everything.

With very little time left to spare, the 2nd prince of Britannia could only let out a small smirk before raising himself from his seat to give his command.

"I've made my decision: We will be joining with the Black Knights on this battle!" the room fell into a deep silence as he spoke those words with a determined face. "Please track the signal of that channel. They need to expect a response from me"

The com officer stuttered for a moment and quickly got to work. "Y… yes your highness!"

"Y… your highness, are you sure!" Kanon blazed completely stunned. "This will mean joining with our own mortal enemies"

"It is the only way" the prince explained giving his friend a calm gesture of his hand. "If we escape now, the Black Knight's strength will be immeasurable. With this act… it will show to the world that Britannia and the Black Knights despise injustice more than each other… or at least that's how it is supposed to look…"

**(On a cliff overlooking the battlefield)**

Diethard and his troupe of cameramen and intelligence officers of the Black Knights could not help but grin as Zero once again deployed another one of his mind boggling games at his most deadly foe. When he heard that Horai Island was taken by the High Eunuch Loyalist forces, he thought that they would certainly be in a pinch. But Zero came up with a perfect counter solution within minutes. With new orders, they drove to a cliff that overlooked the whole battlefield and recorded the whole scene from the first shot to the last. Heck, Diethard was so impressed and awed by this plan that he even sent extremist-cameramen to various locations to view the conflict from different points of view.

"It's ingenious" the man himself was growing goosebumps and an evil grin literally plastered itself on his face making him look like Satan Himself. "It's incredible! Just how far does your plan go Zero? If this was done within ten minutes… how much more chaos and confusion can you make in a day… no a year! Show me… show it all to me!"

"Commander Diethard, sir!" one of his underling called from the main command van that they were using as a command post. "We're receiving an open channel from the Avalon. It's the royal Britannian Channel"

"Excellent. The 2nd prince's timing is exquisite as ever. Even though he never had much screen time like Clovis, he sure knows how to keep the audience tight at their seats" Diethard nodded returning to his usual mood hiding his gleeful emotion inside. "Connect it to the main screen and broadcast it to the whole world"

"Sir… it looks like the Chinese Federation has seized some of our satellites after we left Luo Yang. I'm not sure how far this screening will go"

"Then reroute it to the emergency broadcast channels on every station. This is a moment of history that will be written in books that are yet to come gentlemen! We are recording history in the making here so I want everything flawless! (Bzzt)" the sound of the screen came to life and everyone in the van had no choice but to turn their eyes to the only TV monitor that had Schneizel's face on it. Though this might just be his own butterfly stomach rubbing him, Diethard could actually feel the gaze of trillions of people all over the world watching the same channel.

The camera zoomed onto Schneizel's face, making him appear on the same screen as lady Kaguya, Zero and Xingke. The whole world paused as these four mighty figures around the globe assembled in one tiny box. Silence grew heavier by the moment and the annoying barks of dogs and cricket noises were nonexistent. All looked and listened in terrible excitement of the prince's next statement.

With the deep breath, Schneizel began. "I, Prince Schneizel El Britannia, the 2nd Prince and Prime Minister of the Holy Britannia Empire, hereby accept this invitation of Lady Kaguya Sumeragi, the grand eunuch of the Chinese Federation. For far too long, the people of the world suffered under the boots of those who use power unjustly. As a representative of the royal family, I too vouch my displeasure on seeing the innocents and hard working people being brought to their knees by selfish, the greedy and the soulless. The High eunuchs have spread nothing but fear and suffering to the people and so in response we shall take action. Today, we the Britannian Royal Army and the Black Knights shall caste their differences aside to deal a heavy blow against evil! The people of the world are waiting… for our victory"

Once the speech ended, Kaguya remained poised and nodded to his response. "Thank you, Prince Schneizel. And so from this act, I hereby order the united forces of this temporary alliance to vanquish the traitors and their collaborators"

Zero raised his head back to the screen and nodded. "As it is the wish of the common people! So it is the wish of Zero!"

**(Avalon)**

Soon afterwards the transmission died out leaving Schneizel to relax in his seat. "Transmit our chain of command to the Black Knights and form up the Avalon and the Slepnir around their left flank. (Yes your highness) Oh and Kanon… can you release the Guren's pilot from her cell and replace her Knightmare's energy filler?"

"Yes… of course your highness" Kanon bowed before issuing the orders to the engineers at the loading docks.

"And transmit orders to the Knights of the Round as well"

Back on the battlefield, Gino who watched the speech played out loud could not help but grit his teeth in annoyance. Just five ago he was fighting against the Black Knights till his last breath but now they were saying that they were going to be allies. The world was truly becoming a strange place for warriors like him.

"First we were at each other's necks and now they want us to hold hands and sing kumbaya? Just what in the world are you planning Zero?"

Even Suzaku himself seemed rather stunned by this. A large part of him wanted to bark out but yet his dominant side kept telling him to follow orders. His internal conflict was bound to last forever.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zero on the other hand was having a blast. Even after displaying his own speech and watching Schneizel take up all the screen time he had to admit that his half brother had made things much easier for him. "Hehehehe… with Schneizel's speech, the High Eunuchs can now be firmly caste as the villains of this story. And without the people's support, Schneizel will have no choice but to join my side as well"

Xingke who kept his gaze at the monitor was also awed. He played his part on TV just as anyone expected him to but he never expected to dance right in Zero's palms like a puppet. "So you… you expected Schneizel's betrayal just as you expected the High Eunuchs?"

"Correct. I anticipated all outcome of this battle. But I cannot claim all the glory. You deserve some of the credit as well since it was your plan to begin with"

**(Ashford University) (Student council building)**

Milly sat on the sofa that night looking through the budget planning that was done earlier that day. If anyone saw her now they probably wouldn't believe their eyes that Milly was actually working either. She was more likely to have her underlings to do them and review them for her but thanks to the manpower cut in half, it fell onto her shoulders to handle the situation. With Rolo and Lelouch running their land back in Hollington and Shirley in the infirmary, it was only natural that things wouldn't catch up.

"Lady Ashford" one of Lelouch's maids entered the room with a glass of soda in hand. "You've been working a lot tonight so I thought that I would bring you some refreshments"

"Thanks but I won't be long now" she replied. "I'm just looking through the numbers making sure that Rivalz didn't misplace any of them. I'll probably do the rest of them back at the dorm"

"Very well then. Please don't take too long though. My master has ordered tighter security around campus. There's been a lot of crimes happening around the city lately so please do be careful on your way back"

"Yes, thank you" the maid left, leaving Milly to tend to her work just as before. She was used to this kind of work. Reviewing papers and numbers so that the budget would remain balanced and that they would have something left for Christmas party. Whenever her dad had finance troubles she would be the first one to march in his office to see what funding could be cut to meet with the year's annual tax.

"Haaa… I guess I really need to take it easy" she said to herself before taking a cold drink from the table. "I haven't had this much work since I stayed with Lelouch two months ago. Maybe I should ask that lazy vice prez of ours to handle all of this when he comes back. Oh… that reminds me. I'd better give him a call and tell him about Shirley" She speed dialed his number and waited but to her surprise it appears that the other line seemed to be turned off. "Hmm… that's odd. Lelouch usually leaves his phone on. (sigh) Oh well I guess he's probably dotting his little brother again. That boy never changes even when we were kids"

When we were kids…

Milly allowed herself to wander back in time when life was so much simpler when Lelouch would come to her house to play. She loved teasing the boy and forced him to do ridiculous things like putting him in bunny costumes and such. But the strangest thing was that she can't even remember Lelouch's own parents. She remembered seeing them plenty of times before but for some reason, the images that comes to her mind just keeps blurring out like a bad copy of a movie that she bought from the junk store.

The blonde Ashford let out a groan and pulled out the picture that she had found earlier by accident. It was a picture of a time when they were both no older than preschoolers. Lelouch had ice cream on his cheek and when he tried to wipe it off, little Milly ran up to him and licked the whole chunk off his face. The boy was so embarrassed and so red that he would make a tomato weep in jealousy.

"Oh Lelouch…" it was a good thing Rivalz wasn't there. If he was, he'd probably weep in tears thinking that he'd never stand a chance against a boy like Lelouch.

**(Mausoleum of 88 Emperors)**

Zero gazed down at his monitor, looking at the faces of his commanders and temporary allies of this great battle. With the broadcast of his show finally ended, he spared no time in creating a battle plan for the upcoming battle with the High Eunuch's forces. Even though he was able to turn a large portion of their armies to his side, along with the Britannian elites, they were still outnumbered 10 to 1.

But even against such odds, the man still couldn't help but grin madly at this plan working out with remarkable results. "Hehehehehe…" he chuckled darkly as he gave out his plans to the others. "So… Prince Schneizel… General Xingke… are we all in agreement?"

"Yes I agree" the prime minister of Britannia replied solemnly.

"I also agree" Xingke added sounding not at all psyched about the whole plan. "Following the old traditions of our warfare: When three evenly ranked officers form an alliance, the commander with the largest army has authority over others"

"Then as we discussed… as the leader of our temporary ceasefire, I hereby declare… our Forged Alliance! Xingke will cover the left flank of the Ikaruga along with the dragon cavalry. Schneizel forces and the Knights of the Round along with our third Knightmare squad will guard our right. The Ikaruga and the rest of the Black Knights will charge in and cut through their center"

"Roger!"

"Tohdoh, take command of the Knightmares up front. (Affirmative!) Chiba, take command of Yoshida's squad. (Understood) The Knights of Zero will provide backup. Jeremiah, Elie, handle the units in the air. (Yes, my lord)"

It wasn't long then until Ohgi's face appeared on screen. "Zero. Enemy reinforcements have joined up. We think it's the High Eunuch's personal forces"

"So they brought in all their weapons to finish this in one blow" Zero laughed darkly at their pathetic attempt to turn the tide of this battle. "Good. If they bring all their compatriots, it saves us the time to search for them. Deploy the rest of our ground forces and join up with Tohdoh"

"Roger that" Ohgi nodded and silenced the monitor to prevent their plans from leaking out into enemy hands. "Deploy the Akatsuki squadron and send out our reserves to back up our flanks. All hands battle stations!"

But while the rest of the crew were off preparing for war, a familiar carefree and annoying voice entered the stage, bringing with it, Rakshata's blood pressure. "Well howdy do everyone. Did anyone miss us while we were gone?"

"Lloyd…" Rakshata groaned at his presence. Though she had to agree that he was a mad genius, his lack wit attitude and monotone personality was hard to get used to. How Cecile was able to hold out for so long was nothing short of a miracle. "I see your machines are running smoothly and crudely as ever"

"The process was hard but we manage to scrounge it up to operating levels. The Knightmare frame Z-02, Merlin and the Z-03, Constantine. Though I must admit that they are put together with some spare parts, Zero's budgeting proved to be more than sufficient. And I have to say that your toys have some interesting works in them" but then the sociopath quickly noted his old work flying just off screen. "Ohh~ is that my Lancelot? Someone seems to be tinkering with my poor boy"

"Does that mean Suzaku is piloting it?" Cecile asked worryingly about her old college.

"Who knows?" the scientist shrugged. "But I must say that the engineer has been taking great care about my boy. I would like to meet the man behind my Lancelot's redesigns"

"Enemy forces have begun to move!" Hinata announced to the group who all turned to the screen where the High Eunuch's forces have begun moving, clearly using only basic military tactics. "They're trying to surround us"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And so it's begun" Zero muttered incoherently, his masked fixed upon the radar screen. "This is my order to all forces in our alliance! The High Eunuchs have become our enemy! Their betrayal and their greed have caused our hands to be sullied in their sins! They intend to wipe us all with their superior numbers. Descend upon our enemies and wage and attack! Wipe out all enemy forces and grind them to the dust! Show the selfish, the ignorant and the soulless the strength and determination of the free people! All units attack!"

"Rahhhhhh!"

"This is for Yoshida!"

"Push'em back now!"

"Monica, provide cover for our ground force and clear a path. Break the enemy formations!"

"Yes, your highness" the Constantine moved upon the orders of the black king, and with its powerful arsenal of weapons, the High Eunuch's frontline forces were cut aside like a sword through hot butter.

"Elie, Jeremiah, enemy air force are approaching. Destroy them"

"Yes, my master" the two knights of Zero obeyed and rallied to the skies with their new Knightmares. Jeremiah who had been given the frame, Sutherland Sieg, fired a flurry of bombs, missiles and rockets while Elie's Merlin readied its lance creating a spark of electricity from its tip. "Taste this! The fury of our lord!"

Tohdoh noted a clear path through the enemy's line of defense and with little effort, he made a bold move against them. "The way is open! Asahina, Urabe, to me! (Yes sir!) We'll cut through their lines and split into three groups. Once we break through the enemy's front positions, we'll strike their rear with everything we have!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hong Gu, press forward with a wedge formation! Keep up with the Black Knights and don't fall behind!"

"We hear and obey Master Xingke!" the large man smirked seeing how the tide of the battle has turned to their side.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Move the royal guard division to the front and support the Black Knight's fighting on the ground" Schneizel waved his hand in a noble gesture as if playing a game of chess. Though many of his advisors were a bit unease on collaborating with their mortal enemies, they followed orders nonetheless. "Move Gino to the rear and have Anya clear the frontlines"

"Yes your highness"

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Gino followed his orders and moved to his designated position where he cut through a small group of attack choppers that was aiming to hit the Avalon's flank. "I'm really starting to hate this battle…" he muttered quietly groaning with every strike he made. But Anya on the other hand didn't seem to mind. Regardless of who her enemies were, as long as someone gave her orders, she didn't mind who she was shooting. Be it the Black Knights or her earlier allies, they were targets.

"Orders are clear… eliminate all rebel forces" but in her case, the rebels who she once mentioned before became the very force she was working with a few minutes ago. She unloaded a salvo of missiles and used her Stark Hadron Cannon to break a column of the enemy, dissolving their morale to almost nothing.

But while the rest of the alliance fought, Suzaku remained paralyzed, stilled in the very same spot he had been floating since the alliance was made. "This is… this can't be happening. How could… Zero and Prince Schneizel…?" he was so confused at the moment that he didn't even notice a small platoon of Gun Rus rounding up behind him.

"There he is! The White Death of Britannia!"

"Fire at him! Don't let him get too close!"

Suzaku quickly whipped his Lancelot around activating his shield. And not too soon either when a hail of bullets and cannon fire swarmed him. "Wait a minute! Don't shoot! I'm not your enemy!"

"We have him pinned! Second company, hit his rear!" another swarm of Gun Rus appeared, seemingly appearing out of nowhere like roaches. "Take him down! We'll bring this monster down rig… Argghhhh!" but that was as far as he could go when a dark red beam hurled from the sky, melting all six of them into ashes.

"What the!" Suzaku flew back to avoid the beams and immediately did he recognize the only machine that could cause such destruction. "That's… the Radiant Wave Surger… then…" he turned his frame's head upward, gazing upon the last thing he would call a friend. "Kallen!"

"Suzaku…" Kallen gritted her teeth as she gazed down to her rival whom she ironically just saved from being chop sui. "Don't get any wrong ideas. I didn't save you because I wanted to"

"How did you…? Did Prince Schneizel… let you go?"

"Looks like we don't have time for silly questions" Kallen motioned her Knightmare towards a large force approaching their side. It was actually large enough to cover the whole horizon.

"I don't understand… how could the prince?"

"I don't know what's going on at the moment… but I'll let you know that this changes nothing between us"

"Then I guess the feeling's mutual…" Though hesitant, Suzaku had to admit that Zero has won this fight. He probably ordered Kallen to work with him as a gesture of irony, like a school boy getting back at his friends.

And so with their graceful moves, both the White Knight and the Red Devil charged into the very heart of the enemy's attack, wiping them out by the dozen. The opposing force tried their best with their volleys but against two ace pilots on board state of the art machines… they stood very little chance.

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"Advance units, use long range bombardments!"

"Anya, cover the forward lines"

"Dragon Cavalry 5, spearhead the assault and crush them from within!"

"Ready Bow Mounted Hadron Scatter Cannon and prepare to fire on my mark!"

"Gino, fall back out of the firing range and cover the Black Knights from the rear"

"Hong Gu, take the reserves and surround the stragglers!"

"Monica, assist the Mordred and fire a barrage on the enemy! Full spread!"

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On the other side of the battlefield, the High Eunuchs who had no experience in tactical warfare were panicking like headless chickens. It was obvious even to the child's mind that they had no chance of victory over the combined elements against them.

"We can't win like this! We have to withdraw!"

"Even against our superior numbers they're trample them like they were bugs!"

"We have to escape. There's no other choice! (But where!) Uhh… to India! The Maharaja is a strong supporter of the Federation! Surely he can provide us shelter at least for awhile!"

"Yes that's it! Our safety must come first! We'll withdraw with the Ziggurat"

"Master Zhao Hao!" one of the staff officers on board called to the Eunuch. "Reinforcements have appeared from the rear"

"Excellent. We'll use them to cover our escape. Tell them to move in front of us and prepare to (Boom) Bwaha! Wha… what was that!"

"M… my lord. The reinforcements are firing on us!"

"What!" another heavy barrage came forth, destroying the Ziggurat's weapons. "Why are they firing at us!"

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But little did they know that the so called reinforcements that appeared on their rear were waving the flag of the Japanese. A large number of Jimmus and Burais were apparent there, along with detachment of soldiers and armor carrying the Black Empire's symbol.

"This is acting commander Ryoga Senba of the United States of Japan 1st Protectorate Army. We are answering the call of Lady Kaguya Sumeragi to her alliance army. Under the command of our Prime Minister, you are all under arrest"

"Senba!" Tohdoh and his companions recognized the voice and were ecstatic to see their old friend leading reinforcements to their aid. "You're here"

"Sorry for the late arrival, General" the elder member of the swords smirked in response. "We had to take a slight detour on Horai Island to make it here"

"We thought we'd never see you again" Asahina beamed. "I thought you stayed back in Japan"

"Take it easy old man" Urabe joked waving his Akatsuki around to strike another opponent with his blade. "Why don't you let us handle this fight and you can go back and sip tea?"

"And let you youngsters have all the fun? I don't think so. Come on. Let's see how much you two have improved since we last met. And don't think that you guys can win just because you had a head start"

"Heh… same old Senba"

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"HAAAAAAA!" Kallen charged in her Guren F.E.V. firing her RWS towards another column of enemy Knightmares, wiping them off like they were stain on a car's paint job. It was an easy battle seeing that they were in disarray. With no capable commander leading them, the units were stuck together immobile and inefficient. But despite the easy fight, the Devil's Right Hand still can't get used to the fact that her back was being covered by the White Death. "That makes my kill total up to thirty… how many have you downed so far… Suzaku?"

"It's only people like you that turn battles like these into sport" the boy bit back refusing to answer such a ridiculous and inhumane question.

"Oh don't be a baby. You and I still have a score to settle" but then another voice in the com link caught her attention.

"Major!" it was Chiba, her second in command who rushed in to her position. "Are you alright?"

"Chiba? Am I glad to see you. What's the situation?"

"Our allies are concentrating on hitting them hard on both flanks. General Tohdoh and the others have taken the center. Jeremiah and the other special units are focusing on their air support"

"Looks like we'll have to race who has the most kills in this battle" the red head smirked looking over the battlefield which was now in tatters, only to turn her head back to the White Knight in mockery. "Sorry Suzaku. Looks like we'll have to part ways here. I have a more trusted friend watching my back. But… one of these days… I will get back at you for what you did…"

"Geh…" Suzaku bit his lip. A part of him wanting to spill out Zero's true identity but quickly remembered that he had no evidence in that matter.

"Come on Chiba. We're leaving. (Roger!)"

**(Ikaruga)**

Ohgi and Minami remained in their stations looking over the main screen as the dots continued to fire over each other. It looked like a cheap 2D video game that could be bought in a pawn shop next door but in truth those dots meant a lot more than a loss of points and pieces. These were people's lives. With each dot that vanished from the screen it meant that someone or something has taken the life of another.

"Sugiyama's unit has taken the firing point over the hill"

"Tamaki's group is providing support. Enemy forces at the Southern area have surrendered"

"Their aerial power is also depleting"

"Orders from Commander Zero: Deploy remaining reserves to surround the enemy but do not fire on the mobile fortress"

**(Avalon)**

"The High Eunuch's forces have been lessened to a quarter of their original number" Kanon analyzed to his highness. "However… it seems that Zero has ordered that we do not fire on the Ziggurat directly"

"Oh?" the prince seemed rather interested to know why. "Did he happen to say why?"

"No your highness. He merely… 'requests' us to engage the units around the fortress"

"_Is he planning to use the High Eunuchs as pawns? Surely that sort of plan is beneath him" _Schneizel though puzzlingly raising one hand to his mouth, only to break his pose when he noticed a surrender flare shooting out from the Ziggurat. _"Hmm? A call for surrender? So soon?"_

"Sir. We're receiving an open channel from the High Eunuchs. Should I patch it through?"

"Yes, please do"

But then Prince Schneizel became quite stunned when the broadcast came in. On the screen, everyone could see the High Eunuchs clearly but the members of the crew were more focused on the men in black that were pointing guns behind their heads.

"This is my command of all rebel forces of the High Eunuchs" Yoshida, who spoke appeared on screen with the microphone in his hand. "The High Eunuchs on board the Ziggurat has complied with the terms of surrender. All units are hereby ordered to stand down. I repeat: this is a direct order from high command. All units, stand down!"

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"Is that…. Yoshida?" Inoue noticed her comrade on screen and immediately recognize him.

"It is! It's Yoshida!" Sugiyama beamed with joy as well, staring at the screen in disbelief. "But how the heck did you get there!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Stand down!

That single phrase alone was more than enough to bring the remaining fighting force to its knees. With the sight of their leaders at the mercy of the Black Knights and the command given by one of their own staff officers, the soldiers in the front were given little choice. They surrendered and those who were in Knightmares exited from their cockpits, their hands raised. In a mere instant, the fight was over before the world even knew it.

"We have confirmation. The High Eunuch's troops are surrendering" Kanon motioned to the radar screen.

"Very well then" Schneizel sighed disappointingly. Though he was a man who despised war above all else, he had to admit that it was quite fun to be fighting alongside the great and powerful Zero. "The final curtain call has been given and the ending scene is now being played by the actors. Those who are unimportant to the play then exits the stage in silent bow…"

"Sir?"

"Nothing… just merely thinking out loud. (chuckle) Signal our forces to withdraw. We're done for today"

"Shouldn't we at least contact the Black Knights?"

"No… let them have their moment. We have no right to be a part of their victory. We will quietly make our escape to Area 7 and report back to the homeland"

"Yes… my lord"

**(Battlefield)**

But while the rounding up of prisoners were being handled by the Black Knights, Gino quickly decided to approach the Constantine to clarify something that has been bugging his mind since the battle began. "Monica…"

"Gino…" the Geassed Knight of the Round turned her giant frame to meet the floating Tristian. The Constantine was fearsome and frightful even from a distance but was even more dangerous up close. It towered over Gino's frame like a Goliath looking down on Jason. If it were any bigger you could probably say that it was the miniature version of Gundam.

The two former allies starred at one another through the eyes of their frame but Gino could not tell what was running through the mind of her friend. "Tell me Monica… why? Why are fighting against Britannia?"

"Fighting against Britannia? Surely you can't be that blind Gino" an invisible smirk appeared on Monica's lips as cooed back to him teasingly. "We both fight for the cause of our homeland. Just like Jeremiah and Elie… I serve Britannia through another"

"But Zero is the enemy of Britannia!"

"Are you certain about that? (Huh?) Hehehe… you never were one to use your head Gino. Let's just say that you and I… serve different masters"

"Keh…" Gino's face was wrinkled with a small hint of annoyance. A half-answer like that was impossible to satisfy him. Even as the withdrawal signal was beeping from his com systems he couldn't bring himself to leave without knowing why. Why would a soldier… a knight… an Elite Knight like Monica turncoat against her own nation. The answers she gave seemed like pieces of a bigger puzzle that was given to solve without any clues. Eventually, the man complied with the retreat order and flew back to the Avalon with a heavy heart.

**(Geass Order research base)**

When the High Eunuch's defeat became apparent to the world, V2 and his advisors established an emergency meeting to conclude their next course of action. With the Federation now dissolved, their supply of research materials and test subjects will become limited. Not only that but they will also have difficulty avoiding the internal fight between the independent nations that are now scattered.

"So it has come to this…" the immortal sorcerer muttered in disappointment. "I never expected Zero to win such a tough battle. It almost makes me feel sorry for the High Eunuchs and little Schneizel"

"Master V2. Without supplies from the mainland our research will grind to a complete halt. Should we move our research to a new location?"

"I've already thought of heading to Siberia and destroying all evidence of our presence here. But with the battle still going on… we should probably lay low for awhile until things calm down"

The advisors whispered amongst themselves but found no point to argue with the master. "Very well my lord. We will begin creating a backup drive for all of our research data. We'll notify you once everything has been prepared"

But just when the meeting was about to be adjourned, another member of the Geass Order entered the research room, his face filled with worry and panic. "M… Master V2! We have a situation! It's terrible! (What?) It's Morgan! Morgan Le Fay has just lifted off on its own! We were having a standard checkup on the machine when suddenly the computer systems acted on its own!"

A grin appeared on V2's place. "Ah… then it seems that our sleeper agent has finally awoken" he sounded calm and collected, clearly unaffected by the report. "Morgan was simply a side project for us. A prototype. We can simply build another once we move to the new base"

"But… Master V2, are you sure we should go on with this? I mean we haven't even received word from the OSI. It would be rash if we acted without the emperor's consent"

"I don't to involve Charles in such matters. He's already too busy dealing with the Sword of Akasha already. He barely has enough time to handle his own family"

**(Ikaruga)(3 Hours later)**

Lady Kaguya and the empress waited anxiously on top of the Ikaruga that morning gazing at the transport ship that was docking at the carrier's port. Inside, Xingke, Xianglin, Hong Gu and the a few rebel soldiers exited to meet up with their new found supposed-ally, Zero, who was waiting for them inside the giant ship. The High Eunuchs who were arrested earlier were taken back to Luoyang to stand in trial when a new government is formed. It was supposedly a fair trial since they were the real traitors after all who were planning to sell their country for power in Britannia.

"Xingke!" the empress rushed over to the center to meet her beloved as he knelt down to meet her height. "You're ok! You really are ok!"

The young general of the defunct Federation nodded, smiling happily for the first time in days to finally meet the empress without worries. "Yes. But… is this alright for you, your highness?" they both extended their hands to one another, showing their pinky that symbolized the promise they made years ago. "I know this wasn't exactly how I pictured our promise…"

"Well…" she interrupted. "I was finally able to leave the Forbidden City with you by my side. So… I guess that this is… the end…"

Xingke's smile widened a bit, his eyes showing a hint of a tear drop. "Of course not your highness" he lowered his head in a respectable bow. "Even now and in the future… I shall serve you to the best of my abilities. Until the end of both our times"

The empress could no longer hold her tears back. With overwhelming joy, the dam that held her happiness burst open, marking her face with endless stream of water. "I… I can't believe that I'm crying over this. It's just hard to believe that you and I could (sniff) keep our promise. (sniff) Even after so long we… (sniff) still remember…"

"What you feel is joy, your highness. It's nothing to be ashamed of"

"You're right" Tianzi lowered her face slightly, hiding her eyes under her bangs. "I am happy… but… I'm also sad. (Huh?) I wish I could really see the whole world with you Xingke… but… it seems that I already used up my last wish to save you"

"You highness?" Xingke looked back at her slightly puzzled. "What are you saying? There's still so much for you to see"

But a dark voice suddenly entered the conversation, putting the touching reunion to an end. "Hehehehe… don't you understand, Xingke?" all eyes turned to the elevator shaft where Zero made his appearance from the darkened walkway along with his accomplice, C2. "It is because the empress is mine now… (What!) Her soul, her mind and her heart belongs entirely to me"

"Zero!" Xingke drew out his sword ready to cut the man to ribbons with his own hand only to pull up short when the empress blocked his path. "What have you done! Tell me! What have you done to the empress! Tell me now or I will…"

"You are the one at fault here, Xingke" the masked vigilante interrupted. "The empress and I… simply made a deal. I was to grant her, her wish most dire… and in return… she would give me… everything that she owns" the girl in question looked away in shame which only seems to anger Xingke even more. "As I said before: I grant the wishes of people. But like all wishes, it usually comes with a price. As for the empress. She wished your life to be spared so in return… I asked for her life. A fair trade… is it not?"

"Geh!" Xingke was about halfway to drawing his blade. He wanted to kill the guy so badly right now that not even the empress would be able to stop him. But then he quickly had to rethink of the situation since he was on board the Black Knight Combat carrier. If he killed Zero, there was no doubt that his subordinates would come to return the favor. He buried his hatred deep down and decided to negotiate instead. "If that's the case Zero… then take my life instead. (Hmm?) Whatever her majesty has promised you in your contact, I shall give it. I will be your subordinate, as long as you free her from your deal"

Kaguya, who just happens to be there with the empress quickly turned red at the given offer. Already her mind began to simulate several possible scenarios of BL, more than half of those thoughts concerned bed scenes of bathroom scenes and places that even I dare not say. "Kyaaa…" she squealed in delight of those ideas.

"Heh" Zero humored his case. "I'm afraid I will have to refuse your offer Xingke. (Huh?) When two wishes of equal power intertwines, I will serve only that which comes first. Your opinion on how I do things is irrelevant. Lady Kaguya. If you please"

"Yes of course Master Zero" the young prime minister nodded and quickly grab her friend by the arm. "Come with me your highness. Let's leave the adults to talk about adult stuff. There are so many things that I want to show you!" and so the two girls departed, leaving Zero and Xingke to discuss the terms of their new found alliance.

**(1 Hour later) (Zero's Room)**

"Was that really the best solution?" Zero turned to face C2 who asked. "Using his only weakness to get him to come to your side?" She hugged her Mr. Cheese tightly as they both arrive at the private sanctuary deep within the Ikaruga.

"It's to ensure that he doesn't betray me in the long run" he explained. "So long as the empress stays by my side, his loyalty is assured. I had no intentions of using the empress for anything else"

"Oh?" a sly smirk appeared on the immortal witch's face as if suggesting a mature comment. "And here I thought you were a pedophile who went after younger girls like Kaguya"

"Please. You should know me better than that"

"It would make a good scandal to read on the papers" she added teasingly. "But back to the matters at hand. Now that you've destroyed the Chinese Federation and dissolved its member nations into warring factions, what will you do now? I doubt Britannia will simply sit quietly while you reap the rewards of your victory"

"I expect that when the federation is finished, Britannia will undoubtedly try to take some part of the newly independent nations. Luckily however, we have the edge over this conflict. With the support of Xingke and his faction along with the empress, the people will rally to our side. The broken military groups that do not agree with us will simply be cast out as rebels. I've already assembled Tohdoh's men to begin conquering the other areas as well. However… (Hmm?) This also serves as a stepping stone to my other objective"

"You mean the Geass Order secret lab?"

"Yes. The same order that the emperor is using to create warriors with the powers of Geass" Zero nodded before removing his mask and placing it on the hold. "If I can get them… and their research data to my side, then I can surpass Charles in terms of Geass. Also… if what you said is true, then I can also get a hold of that weapon they've been developing. The one you call God's Geass"

"But there base has long been hidden from the sight of humans. Even that boy, Rolo doesn't even know where it is"

"But you're certain that it's in the Chinese Federation"

"Yes, according to V2, the one who replaced me as their leader. But even so… using the power of an entire nation will also prove difficult to find them"

"Then all I have to do is wait until I notice something amiss" Lelouch smirked playfully as he tucked his clothes in the closet. Even a masked vigilante who plans to unite the world under a single banner needed a sense of fashion once in awhile. "In either case, I can't remain here for long. I've just received word that Milly is preparing a festival back home and apparently I'm required to attend it. Sayoko's roll as a stand in won't make much effect there"

"You would postpone your conquest for a single festival?" C2 teased playfully as she shamelessly remove her clothes right down to her undershirt and lay down on the couch without a care of who may be watching. "You're a strange man indeed" Lelouch only responded with a soft chuckle. "By the way… I must say that I was kind of impressed on how you sneaked your soldiers into the Ziggurat"

"Yes… I think by now, Ohgi and the others are probably overjoyed to see their 'dead' comrade"

**(Ikaruga) (Bridge)**

"Yoshida!" the original members, except for Kallen, literally jumped themselves around the man who had recently just came back from the afterlife. Inoue literally leaped towards the guy squeezing the breath out of his lungs. "I thought you were dead back in the Forbidden City!"

"Hey, you can't get rid of me that easily" the middle aged pilot grinned triumphantly flexing his muscles for all of his friends to see. "It'll take more than a few Knightmares to put me down for good"

"But how did you escape from the High Eunuchs?" Ohgi asked which everyone else seemed to be curious as well. For all they know, the whole compound was covered by the Chinese Federation forces and to escape that place unscathed was nothing short of a miracle, even more so when they managed to sneak into the Ziggurat undetected.

"Well… it's a long story…"

**(Flashback)**

"Down with Britannia! Long live Zero!" Yoshida tossed the rack of grenades out of the window and took cover as it drowned the entire section of the palace in a sea of flames, killing at least four of their pursuers. He and three others were the last remaining on the line and with their escape route cut it was only a matter of time before they see the boatman leading them across the river Styx. Some of them began to pray while the Yoshida himself sat down to make peace with himself.

But just when they thought that all hope was lost, a hidden door that appeared to be disguised as a section of the hallway suddenly opened up revealing a well dressed waiter on the other side. Though it was mostly due to the smoke coming from the building, but Yoshida swore he could see red rings surrounding the waiter's eyes.

"Quickly, this way" the manservant gestured them to enter to which they followed quickly. The room they were shown to was a locker room of some sort or maybe an armory for the guards.

"W… who are you?" Yoshida asked clutching his wounded shoulder from a stray bullet that was lucky enough to hit him.

"No questions" the Geassed servant shushed them, making sure that the hidden door was barricaded. After making sure that the guards would not find them, he made his way to one of the lockers and procured several soldier uniforms. "Here, change into these. Master Zero instructed me to bring you to the Ziggurat. After you board the ship, you're on your own"

Yoshida and the others looked puzzled and confused. How can they not be? For a minute there they thought they were going to be pumped full of lead but now they were being prepped for another mission under Zero's orders. With the waiter's words alone, Yoshida had to wonder just how far Zero had planned this operation.

**(End of flashback)**

"The next thing we knew we were sneaking left and right inside the Ziggurat and looking for an opportunity to strike"

"So it was all just part of Zero's plan?" Sugiyama let out a sigh of relief. "Man… for a few hours there, I actually thought you were dead"

"Yeah you should've seen him Yoshi. Sugiyama was like in tears when you broke contact!"

"I was not!"

"Already everyone, that's enough" Minami calmed the group down before they accidentally start hitting each other. "We still have a lot of work to do and we're scheduled to make a public appearance on a nationwide television with Diethard any minute now"

**(Hanger bay)**

Tohdoh and his Holy Swords were waiting patiently in the hanger as they waited for the late member of the group to reappear. Kallen and Chiba were docking their Knightmares into the service shop to fix up all the electrical wires and armor chinks that may have been damaged during the battle. It only proves that even experienced fighters, no matter how good they may be, can never truly leave a fight without a scratch or two.

By the time Senba arrived, Tohdoh was the first to shake his hand. "It's good to see you again, General" the old man spoke up followed with a salute and a pat at the back by his younger companions.

"Same with you Senba" the General smiled just barely appearing on his lips. "I'm glad to see that a month apart hasn't softened your touch"

"Retirement life wasn't so bad" the round ogre replied. "But to be honest, I'd rather be here on the frontlines fighting with you than drinking tea back home, General"

"Well don't push it too hard, old man" Asahina joked, his arms waving around the back of his partner. "It'll be a shame if you broke your back in a fight"

"I may be old but that doesn't mean I can't teach you a lesson or two about discipline" they all burst out a small fit of a laugh which seemed to lighten up the mood. But while the Holy Swords were having a beautiful reunion, a certain lieutenant felt a little left out of the loop watching them from afar.

Kallen noticed her second in command twisting and sighing and knew immediately that she wanted to join in as well. With a small smile and a hint of kindness, she pushed the older girl forward. "If you really miss the old group you should go to them. They are your comrades after all. (But I…) Go. I'll be heading back to the bridge to meet up with Ohgi. You should enjoy the peace and tranquility while it still lasts"

Chiba seemed hesitant at first looking like a teenage student who was too shy to turn in a love letter to the person she wanted to receive. With her red cheeks, her twiddling thumbs and her awkward movement she really looked the part. If someone would give her a school dress then she'd be set to go. But in the end, she submitted to her commander's orders and walked up to join the group.

But Chiba was not the only one who found peace and love this day. Kallen too had also the same feeling. Ever since she was captured, there wasn't a single doubt in her mind that the man behind the mask was indeed the real Zero. She wanted to believe it back then but her heart and mind were too clouded to see the truth. When Zero told her not to give up that moment all her insecurities were but a thing of the past.


	27. A Jolly Loli Day

**Chapter 27: A Jolly Loli Day**

**(Horai Island) (Spire)**

Triumphant cheers could be heard all around the island of Horai upon the return of Zero and his men. The victory against the federation forces had once again proved the man's might and determination against injustice. A few days after the battle of the mausoleum, support flooded towards the Black Knights. Supplies were bountiful and recruits were in no short supply at all. They had factories in distant countries waiting for their command and more than enough weapons to service a large army.

And now with the support of Xingke and his faction's undying loyalty, it was time to place Zero's ultimate plan to action: To unite the world under a single banner and a leadership of democracy in a single senatorial government. The United Federation of Nations. His previous victory however, also placed the Britannian army in confusion. With his mortal enemy kept at bay for the moment, Zero used this opportunity to claim as much territory as possible. Though he had many who supported him openly, there were still those who wished to remain independent from the war. But everyone knows that there are very few who could hold their own neutrality for long.

Using the advantage of the people's love and justice, Zero will force the warring factions against him into submission and they will join him… whether they want to or not.

A few days later, while waiting for the delegates of the other nations sort things with Prime Minister Kaguya, Zero decided to relax a bit and let things run its course. He stayed in the Spire, the hub of Horai Island and coordinated every bit of detailed plans from there. But his moment of peace was interrupted when Diethard entered the room.

"Zero, I've brought back the frontline report from the E.U. and the Eastern front"

"I see. So what's the news? Have the E.U. submitted to the U.F.N's terms"

"Not yet" the media man answered but with no hint of disappointment. "However, several ruling leaders have already made the bill to the senate floor. I have a feeling once Britannia makes another push into their territories, they will be more than happy to see things our way"

"Excellent. And what of the Eastern front?"

Diethard shifted his papers looking over the report of the war with the independent nations. "Xingke has already eliminated Governor General Harlo from the military base in Jakarta. Tohdoh has negotiated with the delegates from Burma and secured the use of the large factories located within the country. At the moment he's now heading to Mongolia to solidify borders between the Indochina and Russia. Jeremiah and Elie have also managed to hunt down Maharaja Olir who tried to escape to the E.U. using the Indian Secret Police force. The Britannians have also been gaining ground as well, moving from Russia to Mongolia and stopping at the northern edge of the Old Chinese Federation border fortress. However… (Huh?) There's one report here that is quite unusual. It's probably just exaggerated information but according to the reports, four Knightmare Battalions from **the Britannian army were destroyed at Kazakhstan**"

"Kazakhstan?" Zero raised a brow under his mask to his surprise of how much damage that was done to Britannia. "Weren't they neutral to begin with? They weren't part of the Chinese Federation or the E.U. Even if they were at war, the army that Britannia sent to conquer it should've been more than needed to occupy it"

"Which makes this report even stranger" Diethard added raising another piece of paper to his face. "According to our intelligence agents stationed there, they say that a single Knightmare stopped their entire force"

"We'll treat it as an exaggerated rumor for now" Zero deduced seeing that he had no time to pursue a rumor of such scale. He had countries to conquer and people to sway to his side. "We have more important business at hand. Our war with Britannia will be coming soon but for now peace reigns between us. Once all the neutral and independent nations have been brought to either side there will only be two forces left in this world. And in the end, there can only one that can rule supreme. The earth is going through a great change… and I have no doubt that Schneizel and the emperor will be feeling it"

"Very well Zero" Diethard nodded in agreement.

"I'll leave you in charge here for now. I will need to head to the meeting grounds later to sign a trade treaty with Thailand and Singapore. Tell Ohgi and Tohdoh that I will meet with them after I've settled matters there" the masked hero departed, leaving his intelligence officers to handle the rest of the work. But just as arrived at the lower levels of the Spire where no life was present, he was approached by Monica, one of his knights.

"Forgive the interruption master" the blonde knight of Zero bowed humbly at her new master. "I have reported in just as you requested"

"Monica. Good" Zero nodded, joining the girl in a stroll around the hallway. "I've been meaning to speak with you. I assume that no one saw you enter the facility through the secret entrance way. (Yes master) Though our victory against the Chinese Federation was fruitful at best, I doubt Elie could come up with a suitable cover up story for your presence here in the base. (No master) It will be undoubtedly difficult seeing that you were once a Knight of the Round under the service of the emperor"

"So shall I remain hidden in my quarters down by loading docks?"

"No" the man raised his hand in response. "Other than Jeremiah and Elie, the members of the Camelot Research team know of your identity. It would only be a matter of time before they reveal you to everyone. Besides the Black Knights would grow suspicious if they don't know who their allies are. I will discuss the details with Elie upon his return. For the mean time, hide your presence from the Black Knights posing as a staff worker at the docks. Try not to attract too much attention to yourself. I've already arranged new ID and worker forms for you back in your quarters"

"Yes my lord"

**(Knightmare pilot changing room)**

"Ehmmm!" that was the sound of Kallen stretching her limbs after returning from her mission in Eastern Cambodia. She had just destroyed the remnant forces of the High Eunuch's loyalist that had taken refuge in the forest in an attempt to stage a rebellion within the country itself. They consisted mainly of Knightmares but against Zero's personal squad, they surrendered almost too easily. Kallen barely even had to lift a finger to destroy them. With Chiba by her side, those two were a force to be reckoned with.

"You sound happy today major" her second in command noted the smile planted on her commander's face. "Did something good happen?"

"Well it's been awhile now since we've actually had a chance to rest. After being on three missions in a row, it'd be nice to finally kick back and relax"

"But even so…" Chiba wondered. "It feels like these constant skirmishes we've been having are nothing more but a calm before the storm. When all the independent nations finally pick sides, a war with Brittannia will be unavoidable. It's still hard to believe a few years ago we were all staying in Tokyo fighting for its independence with the Japan Liberation Force"

"Yeah and it's hard to believe that I was just a resistance fighter back then" Kallen sighed quietly to herself remembering all the time struggling and hiding in the shadow fighting their mortal enemies through terrorism, cunning and stealth. But now after joining up with the Black Knights they no longer stuck to the dark. They now had the power to handle fights toe to toe with Britannia and with Zero guiding them their morale could never be higher. "Anyway Chiba. Wanna join me for some lunch in the cafeteria. I hear Sugiyama's cooking"

"Sure. Sounds like fun. I'll join you in a bit, Major" Kallen agreed and left while she changed into more comfortable attire. But just as she finished placing her shirt in, she noticed the door opening. It was strange since this place was only reserved for Knightmare pilots only who were prepping or returning from their mission. She also didn't see any other Knightmare pilots entering the hanger bay at all.

But that question died out when she realized that it was Zero himself who was at the door. "Zero?" Chiba spoke out quietly returning to her professional tone.

"Hmm? Where's Kallen? I thought she would be here"

"The major left right before you came in. She said she was going to the cafeteria. I can pass on a message to her if you want"

"No… that's unnecessary. I wish to talk with her personally. Another time perhaps"

But just as Zero turned his back, Chiba felt a strange ting to the man behind the mask. His movement seemed forced and out of tune with his body. That's probably not surprising since the man himself has also been working non-stop since the battle at the Mausoleum of 88 Emperors. Since that day, Zero has been appearing constantly on television screens in many diplomatic and economical moves. Many politicians bow in fear of Zero and the people's support to his cause has risen to millions. Those that secretly admired him in the defunct Federation were surfacing giving out intelligence and details on his mortal enemy, Britannia.

Soldiers may have time to sleep but Zero's time of rest was only between his flights from place to place. And that alone was only about three to four hours at best. Barely even half of what a normal person needs.

"Zero…" the woman blurted out his name before she could stop herself. A feint blush appeared on her cheeks. The vigilante turned only to make her blush even redder. "Um… I wanted to… ask you… something. (What is it?) Why did you take so long to reappear? (Hmm?) If you were alive all this time… why did you just suddenly show up now? When we lost you, the Major was very… sad… and…"

"This is very unlike you" Zero interrupted. "Usually the great Chiba Nagase would never let down her guard. She's usually strict with herself and never shows weakness… especially to someone like me. (Uh… no… I…) It reminds me of the time when you requested a transfer to the Zero Squad" Chiba gasped at the recollection of that little memory. That was it… that was the proof that she needed that this was the real Zero. She recalled that time when she requested his permission personally to move to his squad. It was a small scene where only she, Zero and Kallen had been present.

"You… you know of that time… then… that means you are… the real… Zero"

The masked man scoffed in humor. "I have no reason to answer your question, lieutenant. But if it eliminates your doubt of me… then I won. How I appear and when I appear is my decision alone. Your feelings for me are… irrelevant"

"But don't we at least deserve some measure of trust?"

"Do you trust me then?" Chiba jerked back as if shot by a critical wound. "I do not require your trust in these matters, just your skill and your loyalty. You should've already learned this when we last spoke. You and I use each other to achieve our goals. Yours is a free and independent Japan and mine is the destruction of Britannia. Our relationship is nothing more but a commander and soldier. I need no one to depend on for strength…" the last sentence however seemed to be more forcefully said than the others.

Chiba noticed this but kept quiet all the same. She could see that the man was hallowed. Like a shell of a mask without the person inside the suit. His words were true and she could not say anything about it. As she starred at the man's back she could not help but allow this moment to remind her of the time when she first met Tohdoh. The man was the same. Strong, but at the same time empty inside… like without a being inside the shell.

The young former member of the sword jerked back at the thought. She smacked her cheeks repeatedly, punishing herself for even considering the masked villain to be anything like Kyoshiro. She however didn't realize that she was only doing that to hide the redness of her cheeks.

**(Britannia) (Ashford University) (Student council)**

"HAAAA! There! That's the last one!" Rivalz announced triumphantly as he slouched back on his seat with his hands raised in the air. "The final paperwork is all done!" Apparently the boy had been put to work non-stop. Being the only person available in the student council, he had to work with every bit of paperwork the school had. Fortunately enough, today, Lelouch and Rolo came by to lend a hand.

"Sorry we had to leave all the work load to you Rivalz" Lelouch/Sayoko stated in apology to him. "With everything that's been going on in the Federation and all, I had to lend my support to the people as well"

"Ah it's no biggy buddy" the boy slumped on his seat in reply. "At least we were able to meet the deadline for the paperwork. My hands are so sore that I might have to put them on ice for awhile. The school Christmas Festival is coming up soon and I'm pretty sure the prez has some idea up her head. She already asked me to cut some of the non-active club's budget to fund her 'secret' hidden event"

"Hopefully it won't be like the Santa theme that we had last year. The teachers were at uproar because the glamour club gave the girls very inappropriate elves costume"

"Yeah and Lelouch here had to wear the Santa costume" Rivalz broke a laugh. "No offense buddy but the beard really doesn't suit your character at all. You're more of politician than a family fictional character"

"I'll take that as a compliment"

It wasn't long then until Milly herself entered the room with a loud sigh. "Well… I just called the hospital. They said that Shirley's just fine. She made a full recovery today so she'll be relieved from the hospital by tomorrow. (That's a relief) I still haven't been able to contact her mother in Area 7 though. With everything going on in the Chinese Federation, there's been a huge traffic in all airports"

"People have been moving out of the borderlands because they're afraid of the war. Even the military have been on edge since that incident with Prince Schneizel and Zero"

"Yeah but to see two mortal enemies fighting side by side was just epic" Rivalz added as he recalled the television broadcast by Diethard Reid the other day. "That alone caused a huge uproar in the homeland. There's even a small rumor going on around campus that Prince Schneizel is in cahoots with the Black Knights"

"It's nothing more but wild propaganda by the journalist club" Milly replied not really interested in political moves. She was more of a person who was into tinier gossips and such. "By the way Lelouch, I saw your face on the school paper today" the blonde president quickly pulled out a newspaper roll from her bag and opened it in front of the group showing a picture of Lelouch shaking hands with Prince Odysseus in front of several noble delegates. "Your donation for funding extra police and emergency rescue parties has been the talk of the city. Your public opinion has been on the rise and I hear that you're the hit for the ladies nowadays"

"Hey I saw that on TV too. You actually got to meet and shake hands with Prince Odysseus?"

"It was only for a brief moment of course" Lelouch quickly covered up. "I was able to get an audience with him and the new minister of Pendragon but nothing more but official talks. So don't try to pry for any royal secrets from me"

"Wow, you actually got to see Princess Nunnally too? That's awesome. Maybe if you're lucky, you might earn points with her and become a prince of the Britannia. Heh… I might even call you your highness one day"

…

…

…

…

…

"Uh… what's with all the silence?"

The three figures in the room stared at the blue haired boy and could only mutter one word that fit his description. "Lolicon…" an imaginary arrow pierced Rivalz stomach.

"D… don't say that! Come on guys it was only a joke!"

Milly went into her acting mode and hid quickly by corner, using the old drama club Dracula cape as a veil. "Oh Rivalz. I never knew you were such a person. (Prez!) Now I realize that you were only pretending to chase after me when you truly wanted much younger women" an imaginary bolt of lightning struck Rivalz's head making him scream out in panic, denying their claims. "How I failed to see such a feature of you is unspeakable" she raised her arms to her forehead feigning shock. "I have failed you as your president"

"This explains a lot of your actions" Lelouch nodded looking quite serious. "Now I see why you always seem to take scenic route home through the kindergarten instead of the park. (Lelouch! Noooo!) I thought at first that you were thinking of having your own child… but now it seems that I have seen a darker side of your Rivalz. (NOOO! Come on guys!)" an imaginary hammer struck the boy in play causing to go on his knees in defeat.

"If word of this gets out there's no doubt that every women on campus will avoid you" Rolo added the final coup de grace on this word play. "And that alone is an understatement considering most women already avoids you" An imaginary axe was thrown from the window cutting up his brain, giving out an instant K.O. sign.

But Lelouch wasn't done just yet. "But regardless of your taste in women Rivalz, I cannot bring myself to hate you. Even if you are a lolicon, I shall remain your friend even if your wife is ten years younger than you right now!" a crucifix dropped down on the blue haired boy like a bomb dropping on his shoulder, with streaming light showing his soul being drawn into heaven.

"You guys are too… cruel…"

"Well I guess we have a new nickname for Rivalz. Pedo Rivalz!" Milly declared which only earned to make the boy suffer even more. A round of laugh echoed from the group with the cries of only one. But their moment of fun came to a quick end when Milly's phone began to ring. She looked up at the dialer and quickly frowned. The group recognized it instantly as the M frown. Whenever Milly's mother called she usually gives that look that describes her emotion. They grew so used to it that it became a reflex just to shut up and listen. "Sorry guys I'll have to take this"

When the prez was gone Rivalz miraculously returned to life looking at the woman's back as she answered her phone. "It must be her mom again. You think it's another arranged marriage meeting?"

"What else could it be?" Rolo pointed out seeing that Milly's mother never called unless it was that topic was on the phone. "Her mother isn't exactly the most generous person and she clearly wants to get her status back as nobles"

"I feel kind of sorry for Milly though. She's been looking a lot down lately because of Shirley being hospitalized and everything. Now she's being forced into a marriage she doesn't even want. Hey Lelouch. You're a noble right? (Yeah?) Isn't there something you can do to help Milly out?"

"What exactly can Lelouch do?" Rolo answered for him/her seeing that the kunoichi in disguise was not a person who can handle sensitive topics like this. "He and Mrs. Ashford aren't exactly on good terms since he bought off their land and title. If we appeared in front of their house, who knows what she might do to us. All we can do now is to let things run their course"

Lelouch saw no reason to argue but yet, the woman behind the mask could not help but feel a sense of pity in her stomach. Quickly and involuntary, she blurted out. "Hey here's an idea. Why don't we all go to my place this week? (Huh?) (Huh!) I thought it might be a good idea. Besides, coach Viletta Said that we had a break because of the war. We may as well use it now before the festival"

"Hey! That's a great idea!"

"We can also celebrate for Shirley's recovery from the hospital as well. It'll be a nice get together after a long period of holiday seeing that we also finished up our paper works"

Rolo panicked and quickly whispered to his brother. "Sayoko, what are you doing? You're not supposed to attract attention to yourself, remember?"

"Sorry sir, it was involuntary" she teased.

**(Pendragon Palace) (Nunnally's quarters)**

Nunnally listened to the radio that evening after she had finished with her tasks for the day as the new minister of defense of Pendragon. Though many of her political aims were to benefit the people, she feared that an all out war may changed her objectives in due time. With the new hospital wing that she placed in motion completed, she wondered if she would have to change from her pacifist view to a militaristic one.

"Nunnally?" a voiced scared her as she brought out of trance from her music. She recognized it as Odysseus's voice. "Are you still awake? Sorry if I was disturbing you"

"Not at all. Please come in, Brother Odysseus" the man entered the room fully noticing the bland taste of the quarters that Nunnally was given. For a girl that couldn't even see or walk, it was a prison. Sure, the place was decorated in most luxurious ways possible, but the atmosphere it gave didn't suit with Nunnally at all. The taste of the rich and powerful objects was only shadowed the figure of the defenseless girl who owned the room.

"I was just in the area when I saw the lights in your room were still on. I hope I'm not disturbing"

"Not at all Odysseus. I was just listening to some music before I go to sleep. How was your meeting with the delegates?"

"They require some time in considering our proposal, but I have no doubt that they will come to terms. As far as Schneizel is controlling our military force with Guinevere we cannot fully abandon all hopes for negotiations. I'm sure the Italian government will join side with us"

"That's wonderful. If it means less war then you know that you have my full support"

A small sad smile appeared on Odysseus's face. "It's comforting to know that I have at least one ally in this family. In this time period, we'll need as many allies as we can get. Our father adopted a strange figure of social Darwinism so the strong and the weak are cast on different sides. I'm having enough troubles dealing with the peace here at Pendragon and many nobles are asking for protection from the Black Knights. Some of them are growing paranoid that their servants may be secret members plotting to assassinate them"

"Do you really believe… that the Black Knights will invade Britannia?"

"I hope not. I still believe that peace can be brought out through understanding. Even extremists like Zero can be negotiated with"

Nunnally lowered the volume on her radio and returned her attention back to the man. "You really are strong, Odysseus. More so than anyone I've known. If everyone held hope onto your ideals, I am sure that peace can come through"

"Thank you Nunnally" the two siblings shared a quiet moment with one another, enjoying the music that the girl chose for this night. The night was blissful, the sound of war was almost non-existent and even the moon seemed to shine some measure of hope to them.

"I had a dream once. (Hmm?)" the younger sibling said suddenly, breaking the silence. "It was back when I was with my brother. I dreamt that I was in a world at peace, a world where kindness and gentle feelings were shared with everyone, even with people you've never even met. A world where there is no war…"

"That sounds like a beautiful dream"

"And in that dream, I was with Lelouch, Suzaku and everyone from Ashford Academy. And in that dream… my eyes were open and I could walk on my own two feet. We were watering the garden on top of the student council building and at the same time having a picnic. It was just so… so…"

"Perfect?" Odysseus finished for her.

"I'm sorry. It must sound strange coming from me who cannot see the world"

"Don't apologize, Nunnally" the elder Britannian prince waved it off. "Every soul on earth has the right to dream. It is within those dreams that give us hope when everything is lost. You really must love your brother deeply huh. (beep beep) Oh no not again. (What is it?) It's the minister of foreign affairs. I've been ducking his calls ever since I arrived at Pendragon. Apparently he's worried about the lack of security in large facilities. He's paranoid about terrorist attacks"

"Perhaps we should do something. People are afraid because of the incident in the Chinese Federation. We must show them that there is nothing to be afraid of"

"That's easier said than done Nunnally"

"Why don't we ask Lelouch Lamperouge? Perhaps he can help us in this time of crisis. After all he was the one who provided funding for the increase security in the countryside. The commoners seem to like him despite being a low ranking noble"

"We mustn't rely on him too much Nunnally. We've already asked so much of Lelouch, surely he has his own plans to worry about"

"But brother Odysseus. Didn't you say that we'll need all the allies we can get in this time? Lelouch of Hollington is a great supporter of peace. The people listen to him and some of the lower nobility see him as a voice of reason, a person whom everyone looks up to when there is a crisis. I'm certain that if we have Lelouch on our side, we can sway others to see the world from your point of view"

Odysseus was caught by surprise. It was one of the few times he ever heard Nunnally making a political vote. It was true that Lelouch Lamperouge has been a great supporter to their cause and with his brains and funding he was able to increase productivity for the land. Both Britannian and Numbers have been working side by side in his land and the boundaries between nobles and commoners were almost non-existent there.

"You really have faith in him, don't you? (I really do)" the prince smiled in return. "Very well. Why don't we go and ask for his support on our next visit to his estate? (Really?) Yes. When we finish up our work here in Pendragon I'll arrange a meeting with him personally"

Squeak…

The Doraemon doll that Odysseus brought with him from the Federation let out a wheeze…

**(Horai Island) (Camelot Research Facility)**

Rakshata grunted over at the frames that were present in the private hanger of the Camelot R&D facility. The Merlin and the Constantine were present there being refitted for their next combat. She had to admit that Lloyd was able to make some astounding machines. The Merlin itself had a unique fighting capability and superior in mid-short range combat. In a one on one fight, it could probably hold its own with its unique arsenal and its speed almost rivaled the Guren. However its destructive powers were still a few levels below the Devil's Right Hand.

The Constantine however came from the old Doctrine of the mobile fortress. The Knightmare was a living avatar of death and destruction. Its weight tripled its nearest rival and thanks to that, even the strongest bullet would simply bounce harmlessly from its seven inch thick armor. However, its invincibility against weapons also became its weakness. With such intense weight, it would require at least 6 FLOAT systems to make it hover from the surface. So in response for mobility, the Earl of Pudding decided to give it a special feature to transform into a battle tank. With tracks and wheels built on its limbs it can traverse through difficult terrains easily. But of course the Constantine's most promising feature was its ability to carry a large payload of weapons. It can be used to carry cannons, machine guns, flaks and missiles to rain on its enemy from any imaginable distance. With the right moves, the Constantine can deliver an unrelenting barrage of fire and smoke in every angle.

"Oh, Ms. Chawla" Cecile entered the room carrying with her a stack of papers which seemed to be equations of some sort. "I didn't know you were here. Can I help you in any way?"

"Not really. I was just waiting for my specimen to arrive. (Specimen?) The Shen-Hu. It's docked here… is it not?"

"Ah yes, it is. Commander Xingke just arrived a few minutes ago so we'll be replacing its energy filler and FLOAT system" and true to her words, the entrance to the hanger opened revealing the slightly battered Shen-Hu.

Rakshata gazed at the golden face of that Knightmare and felt a shiver running through her skin. The Knightmare made by her teacher… and predecessor, Kulas. Its empty gaze alone was enough to bring back memories of her haunted pass. It may have been built earlier than the other models but its specs were more than enough to be on par with the Guren itself. A part of Rakshata felt fear while touching the cold metal plate of the machine and yet… another part of herself felt sadness and regret. To study the device made by him… was almost too true to behold.

She reached out and touched the hardened metal plating of that Knightmare. Feeling its cold steel on her flesh was intoxicating. She could see her once admired compatriot's figure on its reflection and his smug visible on his lips. Rakshata took comfort in his figure and held onto it for about a moment to lighten her soul.

But that reflection of the tanned skinned man was quickly replaced by a horrible memory of an experiment gone wrong. The scream, the pain and the alarm sounds ringing echoed repeatedly from Kulas, as if in pain. And by the end of that vision, only his lifeless head remained…

Rakshata recoiled her hand as if struck by lightning, her arms trembling slightly at the memory only to shake it off when a new Cecile spoke up. "Is something wrong Ms. Chawla?"

"Still reminiscing about the old times aren't you?" Lloyd's irritable voice broke that moment of peace. His slim figure entering the research facility from the side sidewalk. "It seems you haven't been able to let go of the pass after all. I can tell just by looking at your hands. You shiver and your lips run dry as if dehydrated. Still thinking about him eh? Some sociopath you turned out to be after all"

"Lloyd!" his girlfriend scolded.

Rakshata closed her eyes and tried her best to drown that man's voice from her ears. But sadly enough, such a thing was impossible since she had grown used to it. She closed up her heart once more and sealed it with a lock and chain. "I'll be taking this machine with me. (Ohh~~) Send it to my hanger once you're done with the repairs. I want to study the particle cannon built on its chest"

"Of course my dear anything you say" Lloyd answered irritably with his cocky grin. Rakshata was satisfied and decided to leave it at that. She brushed shoulder to shoulder with the Earl of Pudding for a moment and right then the man added. "But only after I've finished dissecting its module…"

Rakshata stopped on her track, eyes widened. "What?"

Lloyd's grin grew even wider if that was even humanly possible. "I have orders from Zero himself. He wants me to detach the Particle cannon and adapt it to our weapons. Something as powerful as the Radiant Wave Surger is surely something to attract attention, don't you agree? I'll have it rebuilt and modified and you can have the rest of it later. (Tch…!) There's no need to be angry. Besides… we are going to share the same data… just… differently… that's all"

The Indian scientist bit her lip, containing her anger.

"You don't mind about me tinkering with Kulas's work first now… do you?" Lloyd was poking in every sensitive buttons in the woman. Buttons she thought she crushed a long time ago. Rakshata did not answer. She simply threw him a glance and walked out of the base, her pipe held tightly in her hand.

Cecile felt the amount of anger gushing from Rakshata. Though she may not show it, she could tell just by looking at the gaze she was giving. Cecile turned her head back to Lloyd as he approached the Shen Hu placing his hand on the very spot that Rakshata touched. "Did master Zero really order the Shen-Hu's particle cannon to be dismantled?" she asked.

"No, I made that up" the man confessed plainly earning a shocking yell from his subordinate. "I merely wanted to see her expression, that's all. (What!) To see her defeated face is something of a trophy for me. You can pack the Shen Hu and send it to Rakshata's place when you're done with the repairs"

"Lloyd! How could you do that? That was just plain mean and heartless! You know how sensitive Rakshata gets when you mention 'him' of all things. You shouldn't play with other people's emotions like that"

"She knew that I was only joking but she took it rather seriously" he added wiping the dirt off his hand. "Whatever she believes is irrelevant"

Cecile sighed at this. "You know. You're starting to sound like Zero every day. Maybe he's starting to rub out on you"

"We sociopaths think alike I guess"

**(Spire) (Zero's quarters)**

Later that day, Zero received an emergency call from Rolo telling him about the surprise party that Sayoko had held unintentionally. "I see. So Sayoko did that huh…"

"Yes big brother" Rolo replied sounding a bit weary. "Should I tell her to cancel it?"

"No, keep it on schedule. I'll be arriving there myself. A little party to ease up tension would be nice. I should be arriving by that time so we can switch the moment I get there. Have you built the pool like I instructed?"

"Yes. It's all finished" the boy answered. "We disguised it as a regular indoor swimming pool and closed it under maintenance for about a week. The underground waterway is connected to the beach house and the area is large enough for two, maybe three Knightmares to enter"

"Very well. I'll call you again when I'm in Britannian waters. Send my regards to Milly and the others for me. Thanks" and with that he cut off his line to face C2. "It seems Sayoko is at her limit in acting as my stand in back home"

"She is an assassin, not a spy after all" the witch replied holding onto her stuffed cheese-kun. "So you'll be heading back?"

"Yes. With the U.F.N still reforming and many of the smaller nations still undecided I think it would be best if I return to the mainland for now to solidify my presence there. Besides, if Suzaku appears there will be no doubt that he would see through Sayoko's disguise. He's a sharp one"

C2 nodded and ate her pizza in peace. But then a devilish though entered her mind as she recalled a certain wish being granted. "By the way. I wanted to ask you. (What?) What do you plan to do with the empress?"

"The empress?" Lelouch quirked a brow.

"You probably don't know this because of your thick headedness to understand a woman's heart. But as of this moment you own the empress with the deal you've just made"

"The empress is nothing more but a tool to me. I only made that deal to bring Xingke to his knees. Other than being a symbol of the Chinese Federation and a leash for that man she serves no other purpose"

But that only made the green haired girl grin. "You underestimate a woman's heart at your own peril" it wasn't long then until they noticed someone ringing at the doorbell. "Oh?"

Zero quickly put on his mask before answering. "Who is it?"

A childish voice echoed from the other end of the view screen making both inhabitants raise their brows in question of the strange timing. "Umm… it's me… Tianzi…" It was the empress herself who was on the other side of the door. She was alone and there didn't appear to be any escorts with her. "I was wondering if I could… come in?"

Zero turned to his accomplice who only shrugged her shoulder in response. He looked at the girl and notice that she didn't seem to be carrying anything. Nothing but the clothes on her back. After a brief pause he opened the door for her. "What is it?" he asked plainly, not showing a single hint of compassion despite speaking with a child.

"Umm… sorry to disturb you Master Zero. But what am I supposed to be doing now?" her innocent round eyes and childish voice rang a strange tune to the vigilante.

"What do you mean?"

"Uh… well Kaguya said that I am yours. Because of the wish I made. So she told me to come to you and see if there's anything you needed"

Zero could only turn his head to C2 and silently curse Kaguya for bringing this little girl to his doorsteps. All logical explanation and excuses were useless against this kind of opponent. It was like he had arrived on the battlefield without a sword or shield to defend himself. Just how in the world are you supposed to talk to a person who doesn't understand logic itself!

While Zero was stuttering in his words, C2 was enjoying the scene from afar. To see the great and powerful Zero backed up from a small child was beyond hilarious. The witch's only regret was that she didn't have a camera to record this.

"Umm… this is… unexpected" Zero stated as he returned to his seat. His threw a few glances at C2 signaling her to help him but the woman was enjoying this far too much to interfere.

"I told you. You underestimate women's hearts at your own peril"

"This isn't funny C2. Just how am I supposed to handle this?" he barked out. The man can level armies, turn enemies into allies and make miracles out of one hand, but he can't seem to find the courage to shoo one little girl from his doorstep.

"You're the one who claimed her. You should take responsibility for your actions. Don't look at me for advice"

Quickly gathering his courage, Zero held his ground and spoke. "Wh… why don't you sit over there for a moment" she gestured to the comfy couch in which the empress quickly followed. And soon after, the whole room quieted as both parties engaged in a sudden, unannounced staring contest. "Do… don't look at me like that"

"Huh? Why not?"

"Aww, the great and powerful Zero can't stand those two eyes staring sweetly at him. (Shut it witch!)" C2 added grabbing popcorn out of nowhere. "Please do go on. I'm actually being entertained over here"

"This is humiliating" Zero admitted as he sat on his chair. "I never expected this to happen of all things"

"Your highness" C2 spoke up catching the girl's attention. "What did lady Kaguya say to you exactly?"

The young empress thought for a moment in a childish manner before replying. "Well. She told me that Zero now owns me because of our deal. That means that I am his misses"

Misses?

That word sounded very familiar to both occupants. Misses… misses… C2… misses… = Mistress!

That alone made the world spun out of control. C2 held her laughter in her stomach before turning to the masked hero. "Well now. It seems you finally got another one to add in your arms… Mr. Lolicon…"

"One more word out of you and I'll kill you"

"Umm excuse me" the empress raised her hand up. "But what does that word mean?" both C2 and Zero could only look at each other, absolutely stunned and silenced by such a simple question.

**(Britannia) (The Floating Garden) (The Einstein Estate)**

"Nina?" the young teen startled from her seat that night as she looked at the monitor showing the face of Prince Schneizel. She was apparently having a video conference with his royal highness along with a few members of her research group but suddenly dazed off at some point during the meeting. "Are you alright? You look tired?"

"No. I'm sorry your highness" she adjusted her glasses while rubbing her nose bone. "Please continue. I'll be fine"

"Perhaps we should continue these meetings next week after you've rested for a bit" the prince offered only for it to be rejected. "Working on a tired mind would only yield half needed results. There is no hurry to the project"

"I… well…" the young Einstein grumbled a bit. "Perhaps… that would be for the best"

"The incident in Luoyang must've affected you greatly. I'm sorry about that"

"No. Please don't be. I'm just tired, that's all. All I need is just a little rest"

"Then that will be all" when the transmission died out, Nina decided to go with the prince's advice and take a little break herself. Ever since she arrived from the Chinese Federation she had been feeling rather strange. Like a part of her which she relied heavily was gone.

The duchess took a stroll around her estate gazing at the full moon through the windows. It was a peaceful night… but for her, it was another night of solitude. As she walked alone through the hall way she began to notice how quiet things were in this huge house of hers. There were barely any signs of life in this time of night. By now the servants would've moved to their quarters and the scientists who took residence here would be out in parties of their own. Even Suzaku whom she was assigned as his guardian would be absent in his own duty as a knight.

It was times like this that Nina wished she still remained in Ashford University. Though the classes may be dull her friends always seem to have a way to lighten up her day.

"Duchess" again her title was called out, this time by her butler who later appeared from the stairway. "Forgive me for interrupting, but you have a phone call"

"Oh. Is it from the Todomo Agency delegate?"

"No my lady. The caller presents herself as Ms. Dominator" obviously, that name was a fake which seems to confuse the butler. But Nina soon recognized it as a nickname for one of her oldest friend.

"It can't be…" she grabbed the phone from the butler and answered in a rough voice. "Milly? Is that you?"

"Hey there! It's the one and only" the student council president cheered out from the other line like she just jumped with glee. "I'm glad you still remember that old name Shirley made for me. I thought you might've forgotten about it"

"Milly…" Nina's voice softened as she held the phone tightly to her ear. She quickly dismissed her butler to make sure that this conversation remained private. "It's been so long since… I last heard from you"

"Tell me about it! It was a pain in the neck just to get your number. Geez luis, talk about your own privacy" the blonde girl paused for a moment, allowing her cheery attitude to disappear. "Anyway… how are you feeling? When I lost contact with you I really got worried there"

"I'm feeling a lot better now that you're calling" the emerald haired scientist replied sounding a bit cheerier than usual. "How were you able to get my phone number?"

"I got it from Lelouch. (Eh?) It wasn't easy. I had to make a few favors here and there. But the important thing is that I have your number now. So expect me to check up on you often"

"Is… is that so?"

"Anyway, the reason I called is that Lelouch is throwing us a party"

Nina raised a brow. "A party? (Yup!) Oh that's right. I remember hearing about Lelouch purchasing your father's Great Deed of Hollington. I heard it was also quite a sum"

"Yeah but that's all in the past now so I'm more focused on the now and future part" Milly added waving it off. "So anyway. We're having a party to celebrate Shirley's release from the hospital. (What? Shirley?) Oh don't worry it's nothing that girl can't handle. She'll be out in no time. So anyway, how about it? Are you free in two days time?"

A real and rare smile appeared on Nina's face. It was a smile that she had almost forgotten when she entered the world of politics. "I wouldn't miss it for the world…"

**(Chinese Federation – Britannia Border)**

Tohdoh and his Holy Swords were at the border of the Chinese Federation that afternoon. After they had located the head of the military faction waging war against the Black Knights in the northern sector, the General himself decided to cut off the last of their internal enemy before returning to Horai Island. With Asahina, Senba and Urabe by his side along with a small battalion of Akatsukis he was certain that they were more than sufficient to defeat their foes.

"Asahina. Are you sure that the enemy base is located in this area?"

"I'm positive sir" the bespectacled sword confirmed it. "According to our intelligence reports, the enemy forces are holding out in a small military base. They're staging small attacks on neighboring villages to increase their influence but now that we've got them on the run they'll have nowhere else to go"

"But this base is pretty close to the Britannian border" Urabe pointed out northward. "Look over there. That land used to belong to Russia"

"Don't lose focus" Senba scolded them. "This isn't a tour of the countryside. We're here to eliminate a faction from causing any more harm to the people. We're protectors now and as protectors, it is our duty to eliminate the aggressors"

"That sounds a lot like a flawed logic"

"We're coming up on the enemy base now" Tohdoh stated noticing a speck of smoke rising from a distance. "What the?" But when the troops got closer they soon realized that the base they have been sent to raze to the ground was already burning. "All units hold position and spread out! (Yes sir!)" The base appeared to be an old firebase of sort. The weapons in the facilities there seemed pretty ancient save but a few Gun Rus that were decimated along the sands.

"What happened here? Did the rebels got bored with each other and decided to kill each other?" Urabe wondered as he observed some of the debris from his position.

"That seems like the case" Senba agreed to his speculation. "The damaged done on the base and the Knightmares appear to be small guns and cannons. About the same size as the Gun Rus themselves. There must've been a coup within the group"

"Well that's lucky" Asahina cheered. "We didn't have to fire a single shot to take them out. I guess we can say that this mission was accomplished before we had a chance to start it. Hehehehehe"

"I'm detecting an energy signature!" one of the Knightmare pilots blurted out causing the group to go into battle positions. "It's a massive energy source. But I can't see it from all the smoke"

"Everyone get ready. There might still be a few enemies left inside"

And so from within the smoke and the fire and the blood and the bones of the dead, a Knightmare appeared. But this frame was unlike anything that the members of the Black Knights have ever seen for this frame… would be their bane from Britannia…

Morgan Le Fay has come…


	28. Besieged on all Sides

**Chapter 28: Besieged on All Sides**

**(Chinese Federation – Britannia Border)**

Tohdoh and his Three Holy Swords stared at awe and confusion of the Knightmare that appeared before them. Its sheer presence seemed to resemble that of a human bio-skeleton.

The brown Knightmare was about the height of an Akatsuki colored in brown. Half of its armor plating were missing, showing the silicon wires and grotesque tubes that powered its body. Even the sakuradite energy core that powered the machine could be seen from a distance. One could probably say that it was an incomplete work of art… but regardless, its half dressed form made it a terrifying presence on the field. Its head was shaped into the form of a sightless woman (AKA: Justice, the lady holding a sword and scale) and its limbs were detached from the main torso, floating lifelessly around it like they had a mind of their own. Some would call it a metallic version of a **zombie** with its skin and bones showing from side to side.

"What is that thing?" Urabe asked, breaking off from his awe. "I've never seen anything like it"

"Is it a new Britannian model?" the youngest member of the sword looked over, aiming his weapon just in case it was hostile, which was most likely of course.

"Be on guard" their commander barked out, "It approaches…" the group spread out, surrounding the strange skeletal frame from all sides.

Truly this Knightmare gave out a terrifying look but the Black Knights held their ground. They've faced worst enemies and were outnumbered once or twice before and the presence of the famed General Tohdoh strengthened their resolve.

The Morgan Le Fay looked around, analyzing the threat presented to her. They were just as experienced as the Federation forces and the Britannian troops she encountered in the border fort but they were less in number which gave her an edge.

"Eliminate…" a hallow and ghostly voice echoed from its speaker catching the group's attention.

"What the? Did it say something?"

"I think so…" Asahina noted as well. "Hey you there. Who are you and what side are you on?"

"Eliminate… all… threat…" it sounded like a voice. A feminine voice at best with a twist of a banshee. "Must complete… mission"

Tohdoh quickly noted its battle stance and ordered his troops to ready themselves. "Here it comes! All units, fire at will!" the troops open fired at the Knightmare only to have their bullets bounce off the blaze luminous shield protecting it on all sides. "A blaze luminous? Such immense shielding. Asahina, Senba, go around it with your swords. Urabe, you're with me. (Yes sir!) The rest of you, provide covering fire!"

Asahina leaped out in his Akatsuki commander and struck the shield. "Heh. It's just like the ones the Lancelot uses. It's strong but it can run out eventually with enough hits"

"It can't seem to attack while we're attacking it either" the eldest member of the sword added striking the shield again with his blade. "These Akatsuki models are amazing though. Way different than our Jimmus and Burais back home"

Urabe circled around the Morgan Le Fay and quickly struck it from above, but the shield that the Morgan was given seemed to protect it from all angles. "Ugh. This thing is a tough nut to crack. I guess it's just an incomplete model from the Britannians" He charged again striking at different points of the shield. The other members of the attack group followed suit firing and striking at the shield, visibly weakening it with each blow.

But as each strike made contact, Tohdoh could not help but feel slightly disturbed about this. This enemy was deliberately taking each of their blows without even moving. It was as if it wanted them to attack. "Something is wrong here…" The machine seemed to notice his hesitation and turned its half silicon head towards him. "Is it just waiting there to be obliterated… or is it… (gasp) Everyone! Back off immediately!"

Asahina, who failed to hear the order, was already too deep within the Morgan's line of defense to back off. Just as everyone withdrew to a safe distance, Morgan Le Fay saw an opportunity and hastily grabbed its attacker's arm. "Hey! What the heck? It's fast!" the bespectacled soldier attempted to break free from hold but the machine's grip was far tighter than he could've expected. "Damn it. I should've seen this one coming. But I still got one arm to use!" he aimed his radiant wave missiles at the enemy and pulled the trigger. "See ya skeleton face!"

He expected to see the Morgan melt away in a bubbly doom like all Knightmares that faced the Radiant Wave Surger's power. But instead, the man only saw a Geass symbol appear before his screen, cutting off all power to his frame. "W… what the? What happened to my machine? My power's being cut off" He never even got a chance to fire his missile when he pulled the trigger.

Urabe saw this and quickly intervened making some distance between his friend and the enemy frame. He sliced his blade between them hoping to at least cut off the enemy's arm. "You ok Asahina?"

"Y… yeah. But my energy filler died out on me"

"Don't worry. We'll handle this. Everyone steer clear of its arms. That grip is enough to crush a stone into pieces"

Tohdoh agreed and quickly reformed his ranks. "All units. Prepare for Spinning Life or Death formation! (Sir yes sir!) Senba, with me. (Yes general!)" two Black Knight pilots moved in from the rear of the enemy but the only to be grabbed by the Morgan's sharp claws on their head pieces. "Damn. Its reflexes are fast"

"It's… it's draining our energy filler!" the pilot who got grabbed panicked looking at the Geass symbol that appeared on his computer screens. "It's like some kind of leech!"

"Haaaa!" Senba attacked again, breaking the enemy's grip on his subordinates. "It's getting faster with each move. I guess it's been holding out on us" he sliced his blade upward earning another hit on the Morgan's shields. "Geh…"

But Urabe could care less about their admiration for that machine. "Well let's see if it can handle all of us at once! Not even the toughest Knightmare can match our strength" but before the senior member of the swords could move, Asahina's frame stabbed his leg from behind. "Bwa? What the? Asahina! What are you doing?"

The young sword looked at his screen and saw what his Knightmare was doing but he wasn't the one pulling the machine's strings. "It's… it's not me! I lost control! It's not responding to any of my commands! (Whack!) The Knightmare… it's moving on its own!"

"But that's not possible!" Senba looked in disbelief only to quickly turn around to parry the other two Knightmares that were disabled by the Morgan. "Geh! What is this mutiny?"

"It's not us sir!"

"We're not the ones doing it. Something has taken control of our unit!"

Tohdoh saw this and quickly analyzed the situation. "That machine must be controlling our own Knightmares against us. Asahina, eject! The two of you do the same!"

The soldiers followed orders and fled from the battle but still their Knightmares continued to move as if possessed. "What the hell? They're still fighting even though their energy has been completely cut off!"

But quickly Senba and Urabe repelled the soulless husks returning to their commander's side. "I've never heard of such ability before. There has to be an explanation for this"

The Morgan then hovered behind its new ranks of followers and even though no one could see it, they could feel a strange grin coming from its skeletal face. "Join me. All machines will join me… even when they fall" and in an event that shocked Tohdoh himself, the Knightmares that the group thought destroyed began rising again. The Gun Rus that were burnt down were now rising from the sands like if mummies returning from the afterlife.

"What in hell is going on here?" the general grunted bearing his heavy blade. "Those damaged Knightmares are… rising again"

"That's impossible! With the damaged they've sustained, they shouldn't be able to move!"

The Morgan gazed upon its weakened foe and with a wave of its hand; the 'undead' machines marched onward to battle.

**A/N: Zombie robots… eat your heart out undead fans.**

**(Britannia) (Pendragon Royal Palace)**

Suzaku Kurugi sat at the garden of the royal palace that dawn, grooming Arthur on his lap as it purred. The little cat was a strange little critter. It often wandered into this place despite the palace royal guard keeping tight security over each and every door. Sometimes Suzaku would wonder where the little fur ball would disappear to and sometimes he even wonders how it manages to get on board the Slepnir's hanger. But regardless, the little black cat gave him some form of comfort in this world. It was perhaps one of the few things that he had left of Euphemia.

But of course… that comfort could not compare to the weight of sadness and regret that lingered in the boy's heart. After the battle at the Chinese Federation, he could already tell that Zero had the upper hand in this war. There were reports coming in from the intelligence officers that independent countries were marshaling towards the U.F.N. supplying it with all the aid they could muster. The masked vigilante's reputation with the people soared and there were even a few Britannians that shared his ideals.

The former Japanese looked up to the morning sun and sighed. There were still many scars on his back and many more in his soul that had yet to heal. He had already contacted the OSI hoping to get some shed of light but they've reported that Lelouch had been in school since Prince Odysseus's failed wedding. He wanted to go and check the school personally but his duties as a Knight sealed his passage there. With the whole empire going into a state of panic, the presence of the Knights of the Round gave some relief to the people.

But even so… many were ill content with the crowned emperor. Because of his many absences from the royal court, only Schneizel, Nunnally and Odysseus were there to make the choices. Nobles were becoming paranoid and even now, many were abandoning their home to find shelter in the capital city.

Click…

"Troubled mind?" the boy looked up only to see Anya snapping a picture of him.

He returned his gaze to Arthur and nodded. "Nothing but trouble. Even though I chose it myself. Decisions I made eight years back"

"Do you still place trust in him? The you from eight years ago?"

"Huh? Are you asking that the choices I made were foolish?"

"Memories that people have are always vague" the young pilot dodged the question. "No point in believing in them. (I have to disagree) But I know it. In my case: I kept a diary from nine years ago. I don't remember anything from it at all" she looked up to her little diary and opened some of its earlier contents revealing pictures from the time she was a little toddler. "And there's more I don't trust. The data I stored doesn't match any memory I have"

Suzaku's eyes widened noticing some similarity to the power of Geass. _"Could it be? Could that be because of the power of Geass? But why would the emperor use it on Anya?"_

"Even recent things. Like the breakfast I had this morning, I don't recall going to the dining room or even what was on the table"

But then another voice suddenly entered the garden, catching both of their attention. "Oh? Kururugi. I thought you'd be here" it was Guilford who appeared.

"Lord Guilford?" the boy raised himself from his seat. "I thought you were going to the E.U. to aid with the defense"

"I was, but my mission changed prior to his majesty's orders" the bespectacled knight explained happy to see his comrade as well. "I am to guard Pendragon along with the Glaston Knights. With the increase of unrest among the people, he thought that my presence here would ease some tension up. The rest of the support force led by Sir Waldstein will be arriving here shortly"

"Lord Waldstein is coming too?"

The former Knight of Conelia nodded. "Yes. Along with him would be the Knight of Ten Luciano Bradly, the Knight of Nine, Nonnette Enneagram, the Knight of Four, Dorothea Ernst and of course the 2nd Regimental Guards and their personal forces"

"The whole contingency? That's a massive invasion fleet!"

"Well it is a continent we're protecting after all" Guilford seemed to agree. "They will also be amassed in Area 7 and 9 for support. I only wished they would bring me along as well"

Suzaku and Guilford shared a laugh. "That's true. With you at the frontlines, I wouldn't have any worries at all. Oh and allow me to introduce you to a friend of mine. This is Anya Alstreim, the Knight of Six"

"Yes. I believe your reputation precedes you" the young knight extended his hand in a gesture only to be returned with a camera shot and the girl muttering 'recorded' in the process. "Uh? This she just took my picture?"

"Don't take it too hard" Suzaku waved his hand defensively for her. "She does that to everyone"

"Well I guess a life at the frontlines has dulled my sense in etiquette" the bespectacled knight laughed it off feeling quite awkward. "I've also been in touch with your legal Guardian, Duchess Einstein. (Nina?) Yes. She's been quite a help providing new improvements for our Vincents. With the coming war approaching every edge we have on the battlefield will be a great welcome" Suzaku could visibly see and hear the man sighing over the topic. Over the year that he's been with the man who was proclaimed the Spearhead of the Empire he never once heard him sigh with such defeatism. But it was to be expected. With the E.U. continuing its aggressive actions and the U.F.N. forming under the banner of Zero and not to mention to huge scale defeat at the Pacific Ocean, it only proved that the Black Knights were becoming a force to be reckoned with. If Zero wanted it… he could probably launch an invasion to Britannia right this second.

**(Britannia – Federation Border)**

Tohdoh sat in silence as he cut the arms of another possessed Gun Ru as it tried to ram him from the side. Even with its pilot dead and its weapons destroyed the Morgan used the mass of the machine to become a decoy while the other zombiefied units continued their attack. Only he and Senba remained in that battle and while they were busy dealing with their own troops, Morgan Le Fay hovered just a few feet away from them as if she was an audience watching a bad play turn sour.

"Senba, what's your energy status?"

"Still running" the round member of the group replied, his voice ringing with confusion and exhaustion. "I have about fifteen minutes left. More than enough to take this rabble"

"Be careful on the ground as well. Our soldiers ejected from their frames but they're still operational. Not only does that monster infect our machines but the infected ones can become host to the plague as well"

Tohdoh chopped another infected Akatsuki, cutting the lower half away but to his irritation, the upper half continued to harass him forcing him to slice every part like a carrot.

"This fight is becoming a lot like a bad dream. I've never heard of any machine that's capable of doing something like this"

"Neither did I…"

But just as they were about to take down the next wave of attackers, the Morgan suddenly released her grip on the Knightmares when she received a transmission from its master. Its half-skeletal head twirled around as if it had smelled something fishy. Its arms swung about as if trying to reach for an object that did not exist.

"Not here…" its banshee like voice hissed out. "New orders. Command… accepted… Returning to Mother…"

"Mother?" Tohdoh raised a brow before he noticed Senba charging in for the kill. "Wha? Senba! No!"

"Take this!" Senba's blade cut a portion of Morgan's armor but it wasn't enough to cause significant damage. The enemy literally ignored his attack and quickly flew away as if drawn to another target. "Commander, the enemy is retreating. Should we pursue?"

"No. Gather up the survivors and withdraw for now. One mistake and I might be facing you next Senba. Until we know what we're dealing with we should regroup for now. Perhaps Rakshata can explain what that monster is"

**(Hollington) (2 days later) (Lelouch's estate)**

Rolo and Sayoko were waiting that morning at the new pool-aquarium building that was constructed a few weeks earlier for the arrival of Lelouch. After hearing that the master was returning, Rolo ensured that the OSI would be around to ensure security around the complex. The construction workers that were supposed to be finishing with their task were asked to leave for the week as well so to make sure that the Knightmares inside will not be discovered.

"This place… are you sure it is safe master Rolo?" the ninja maid asked.

"Don't worry. I built it prior to my big brother's instructions" the boy replied proudly. "Not only does this place conceal a secret hanger at the lower deck, the marine biologists from around the country are using it for study with underwater animals. In a few days time this place will also generate income by holding swimming contests from the main city. It's the perfect cover-up building" he then paused for a moment when he noticed a shadow rising from the pool. He knew immediately that it was the Shinkiro. "Ah… welcome home… brother"

Lelouch's face appeared from the cockpit. "It's good to see you Rolo. I see that you've followed my instructions precisely. I'm very proud of you" the self proclaimed little brother blushed slightly at his compliment. "Sayoko, did anything change while I was away on this mission?"

"Nothing of immediate concern, my lord. I noted all the detail in designated files. Your only appointment for today is the party I scheduled for your friends in the student council"

"Very well. Have George prepare lunch for me. I haven't eaten for quite awhile and I feel a little famished"

"So you'll be staying here for quite awhile now, right brother?"

"Yes. I have to develop some effective countermeasures for the Knights of the Round. We were able to catch them by surprise at the Chinese Federation but they won't fall for it again once we fight them head on. The Lancelot is bad enough and we don't need the Tristian and the Mordred getting in the way again. Besides, it will take some time before the other nations fall under our rule. Like two hyenas fighting over leftover meat, the Black Knights and the Britannian army are taking over the now dissipating countries of the old Federation"

"If you want, I would be more than happy to support you in the J-8 stealth fighter that you built. (See chapter 13 for the machine) It might not be as powerful as your Knightmares but its fast and strong enough to take down any opponent"

"No. The J-8 will stay here. If anything should go wrong I would like to have a vessel that's fast enough to escape from here. Besides I wouldn't want anyone else to rescue me from danger"

"Of course!" Rolo puffed his chest proudly for his brother's trust.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upon their arrival at the mansion, Sayoko quickly changed into her second disguise of a blonde maid in Lelouch's service. She feared that if Milly sees her she would recognize her as a maid from Japan.

"Master Lelouch" one of the maids called out to the master of the estate. "Forgive me for interrupting but your friends have arrived at the main gate. We have prepared rooms for all of them"

"Ah excellent. We shall go and greet them" Lelouch quickly put his act together and went on to see his friends. But to his surprise, another member of the old student council had appeared along with the group.

"Hey Lelouch, Rolo! Milly yelled out to the top of her lungs despite the fact they were only a few meters from them. "You won't believe who I was able to bring along! I hope you still remember… (Nina?) Hey! Let me finish first!"

"It's good to see you again, Lelouch" Nina bowed timidly just as before when she was in Area 11. Lelouch was indeed surprise to see the young scientist but he kept his surprised act in check. To actually see Schneizel's top researchers and the Duchess of the Floating Garden was almost too good to be true. It felt like a golden chicken had come by in its own will to lay golden eggs in front of his house.

"Nina? Nina Einstein?" Lelouch paused for a moment before returning to his cool and calm posture. "I don't believe it. It really is you. I haven't seen you for so long. The last I heard you were in the University of Chicago presenting your thesis about fusion energy"

"Oh you saw that?"

"I watched it on television. Quite an interesting concept you presented" Lelouch added before turning his attention to Rolo who seemed to be questioning her moves. Lelouch was worried but quickly dashed that away to confirm something. "Oh by the way, I'm sure you remember my brother Rolo"

"Umm… no not really. But Milly told me about him during our phone conversation" Nina looked at the young boy rather curiously before raising a brow. "Milly said that you were his long lost brother. I'm amazed that you were able to find each other again. By the way, have you heard about Prin-"

Lelouch quickly grabbed the girl by the shoulder, moving her away from the group. "Uh… why don't we talk later? It must've been a long trip from the capital" but in the boy's mind he was panicking beyond belief. _"This isn't good. As I suspected before, the emperor never had a chance to use his Geass on Nina. Therefore she clearly remembers me and Nunnally at Ashford Academy. This is bad… really really bad. I can only assume that she hasn't told anyone because of my status. I'll have to fabricate a story before things get out of hand"_

"Hey anyway Lelouch!" Rivalz butted in. "Is it true that you just bought the latest model of the Revelator? I'd love to try it on the tracks. I heard that it had a new engine and sweet compartments"

"Heh, you and your taste for bikes" Lelouch faked a laugh while all of his alarm systems were going off inside his head. "Yes it is true. But I'm having it refitted at the garage today so you won't have the chance to ride it. Perhaps another time. (Aww…) By the way, where's Shirley? I thought she'd be here"

"She's still getting her stuff from the limo" Milly answered before looking back. "Hey Shirley come on! Don't be a slowpoke!"

"Alright already, geez. It's not like we're in a race" the orangette answered appearing from the doorway. Again to Lelouch's surprise, the girl was outfitted with an eye-patch on her left eye, making her appear like a pirate of some sort. "Besides, some of these are your stuff too prez. You should at least hold your own weight"

"Oh come on now Shirley. You just got out of the hospital so I'm sure you're fine. A little exercise now and then can be good for the body"

"What kind of twisted nonsense is that?" Shirley let out a sweat drop.

"Shirley… (hmm?)" Lelouch opened his mouth, his mouth unconsciously moving to the said girl. "I heard about what happened to your eye. Did you have the doctors check it?"

"Yeah don't worry about it" the girl waved it off playfully. "It's just an eye infection. The doctor said it was because of the salt water when I went swimming in the beach last week so I should avoid swimming for a couple of days. I should also put this eye patch too to keep the infection from spreading to everyone else"

"It looks pretty rad through" Rivalz added. "You look like one of them old day pirates. Hey, try saying 'arrrrrrggg' for me"

The gang laughed, reliving the old times they had together. Even Lelouch seemed to find a sense of calmness around them. But just as they were unloading their belongings, the butler approached his master with a cordless phone in hand. "Master Lelouch, you have a phone call"

"Yes, thank you George. (To Rolo) Rolo. Why don't you bring everyone to their rooms to freshen up? We can all have lunch together at the dining room later" the boy agreed and quickly escorted the old student council to the upper floor where the guest rooms were located. Once he was alone, Lelouch quickly answered the phone. "Yes, this is Lelouch Lamperouge… who am speaking to?"

But for the third time that morning, Lelouch's eyes widened… this time so much that they nearly bulged out of their sockets when the voice on the other line spoke. "Um… Lelouch?" It was Nunnally who called.

"N… n… Princess Nunnally?" Lelouch calmed his heart down as he spoke. He quickly recalled that Princess Nunnally has been making frequent visits to this place for casual talks with Sayoko along with Prince Odysseus. The poor girl must be pretty lonely in the palace. After checking his surroundings making sure that no one was close enough to eaves drop on his conversation, he continued. "How may I be of assistance your highness?"

"Sorry to call you so early in the morning Lelouch, but I was hoping we could make another arrangement for a meeting. I wanted to discuss something with you in private"

"Yes of course your highness. When will we have this meeting?"

"I'm quite busy at the moment here in Pendragon so I'm not quite sure when. I just wanted to give you a notice before I arrive"

"It would be my pleasure to serve you your highness. I will try to keep my schedule open for next week. Please call me when you have a proper date for our meeting. (Sorry…) No, please don't be your highness. It would only be my honor to serve the royal family in the best of my abilities. Good day…" a silent click on the other line confirmed the end of the call. But as the boy placed the phone down, he cleched his heart to relieve him of the pain. _"I have enough problems as it is conquering the Chinese Federation and now I have to deal with Nina before she spills everything about me and create more confusion! But how? If I knew that she would be coming I would never have used my Geass on her in the Chinese Federation"_

**(Pendragon Royal Palace)**

Inside the royal palace, the highest members of the royal family who were present at the moment were having a strategic discussion. Odysseus of course being the eldest in the family was having difficulty diffusing the situation seeing that his other family members were bent on declaring war with the U.F.N.

"Don't you think this is a bit rash?" Odysseus spoke out trying his best to convince at least one or two members to see his way of view. "Declaring war with the U.F.N so quickly? Even though we've manage to open a channel of negotiation through the E.U?"

Schneizel who was also present seemed to agree. As much as he wanted to face Zero again in a match of wits he still despised war above all else. He wanted to agree with Odysseus but that move would only favor his rival opponents in the family. Taking the losing side wasn't exactly a brilliant strategy. The plan was in debate for about a few hours until Bismarck Waldstein, the personal knight of the emperor came to deliver his orders. The emperor's words were clear. They were to declare war with the U.F.N the moment all the neutral nations picked a side.

"I say it's a wonderful ideal" Karine, the wildest and 2nd most violent member of the royal family agreed to the plan. "Why not destroy them all? Wipe them all out and take their land for our own!"

Schneizel looked at the Knight of One sadly. "Is that what his majesty said?"

"Yes…" was his reply. "He told us to take all of it as he has no doubt that Zero himself will be leading this campaign. I'm already assembling the Knights of the Round together. They should be here in a matter of hours"

"Those savages humiliated Odysseus" Guinevere hissed annoyingly in agreement to the invasion plan. "Not only that but that Zero has been a symbol of defiance ever since he appeared in Area 11. Bringing his entire Black Knight out of the picture would only calm our investors"

"Guinevere please" Odysseus begged. "I harbor no grudge for the incident that occurred with the empress. Our war with the E.U. is still ongoing and the other areas that we've conquered are becoming more violent due to increased terrorist activity. Even that, we've finally been able to secure a negotiation channel with the U.F.N. So I would prefer if we settle this matter around open dialogue rather than a show of force that you have shown when you took the fleet to attack the United States of Japan without our father's permission"

The princess grunted irritatingly remembering her failed invasion campaign to the United States of Japan. Not only did Zero humiliate her in front of billions of people nationwide, it loosened her favor within the royal family itself. That alone was more than enough reason for her to agree with the whole invasion plan.

"Oh you're just saying that because of Nunnally, aren't you Odysseus" Karine bantered. "That girl is putting strange ideas in your head. You should really do something about her"

The prince sighed as he turned his eyes towards his younger relative. "Karine. Nunnally is around your age. You should make an attempt to be friends with her. She gets lonely every now and then and I can't always be there to look after her"

"This would be an easy matter to solve if Cornelia were present" Guinevere added earning a silence gaze from Schneizel. "Bismarck, have you heard anything?"

"I have not" came the giant man's stern answer. "And she apparently hasn't contacted Lord Guilford either"

"Then I guess only you'll be flying alone out there along with the rest of the Knights of the Round"

But then Schneizel suddenly opened up. "We can station two divisions around the Russian border" The eyes of the royal family cast their gaze on him like a beacon suddenly lighting out of no reason.

Even Bismarck himself seemed rather surprise of his response. "Are you offering to take command of the army, Prince Schneizel?"

"Battle is unnecessary. The Chinese Federation has fallen apart. But because of the incident that I created there our movements are being monitored carefully. We've barely gained a foothold in the area and since **our reserves were destroyed in Kazakhstan **we cannot even secure a prominent supply route to the frontlines. I feel personally responsible for our delayed actions here so I would rather be out there redeeming myself than to be cooped up here"

"We already have capable commanders guarding the frontlines. Surely there shouldn't be any reason for you to risk your life"

But Schneizel did not back down. "I am aware of that. But also… there's something that I want to confirm. (Hmm?) Do you remember Monica Kruszewski, the Knight of Twelve? (Yes of course) I've been hearing radical rumors spreading around the military ranks that she may still be alive"

"Wasn't she killed in the battle for Area 11?" Karine recalled hearing the news broadcast from last year which pretty much overtook every channel in every country around the world. "If she were alive, wouldn't she have reported to Bismarck or something?"

"True. But this rumor also speculates that she may be in liege with the Black Knights" a round of gasps and murmurs filled the room. It was an unbelievable topic. The Knights of the Round were notoriously loyal to the emperor and to hear one betray to the side of their enemies was unheard of. Such rumors alone could spring up distrust within the ranks of the military.

"Are you certain about this information?" Odysseus looked rather bewildered too. He has encountered the Knights of the Round a few times as well, Kururugi being the most common one seeing that he was also a close friend to Nunnally. "Surely such rumors are exaggerated from facts. Best not to take interest in such things brother"

"What do you think about it Bismarck?" the 1st princess questioned the man. "Have you heard anything about this rumor?"

"No. This is my first time hearing such things. Monica was supposedly killed during the Battle for Area 11 over a year ago. It would be odd if she were alive and not report to the emperor….. I will have to report this to his majesty if this rumor appears true" but then the man stopped when he noticed the entrance suddenly opening revealing the soft feature of the young princess Nunnally.

"Sorry to keep you waiting everyone" the young girl spoke up as she moved forward on her wheelchair.

Odysseus stood from his seat in a quiet surprise. "Nunnally? Where have you been? I was worried that you may have gotten lost"

"I apologize. I was making call to a friend. Am I bothering?"

"No… not at all little one" Schneizel spoke out using a much gentler tone than before. "We were simply discussing the war with the U.F.N. (War?) Yes. Apparently his majesty decided to deliver the first blow to our new enemy"

"But surely our peace talk with them have gotten through" Nunnally reasoned. "Shouldn't we at least try to negotiate?"

"That certainly isn't an option" Bismarck stated lowering his head slightly to greet the new guest. "As you probably know, the one who is uniting these countries together is none other than Zero himself. This man has already declared himself to be an enemy of Britannia and is rallying support day by day. Even till now, his Black Nation on Horai Island is becoming more and more influential. Even the E.U. is dissolving itself to join his side. And so with the increase of power there is no doubt that the U.F.N will become an enemy of the Empire"

"If that's the case, an attempt should…" Nunnally began only to be cut off by her elder sister.

"Enough. This discussion has been concluded. Your judgment is clouded Nunnally. You hope to bring peace in a war ridden world. You should stop being so naïve and grow up like Schneizel here"

"Guinevere, please!" Odysseus pleaded again only to be ignored.

"Well it's true. She seeks to ask for a ceasefire with that killer of royalty. What else can I call her but naïve?"

"I agree" Karine added to the bullying of the young princess. "If the royal family starts talking of peace than the other nobles might think of us as weak cowards. I for one agree that we should attack and continue this war!"

"I understand that. But even so… to declare war without even trying is a crime itself" Nunnally took her place besides Odysseus hoping that the rest of the family members would at least listen to what she have to say. "Our ongoing war with the E.U. has drained much of the economy in various Areas in the outer lands. Homes are being destroyed and taxes strain the lives of even the commoners. By conquering them, we burden ourselves with the responsibility with maintaining their lives and ensure our stability"

"Don't be ridiculous" Guinevere snorted. "Zero is nothing more but a madman. Like he would try and listen to anything we say? Surely your late brother, Lelouch would be disappointed to hear you say that"

Odysseus's eyes snapped at the woman who dared speak of Nunnally's sibling that way. "Guinevere! There hasn't been confirmation about Lelouch yet! If we found Nunnally than surely Lelouch must certainly be alive"

"And captured by that madman? Surely he's as good as dead. Zero has already killed Clovis and Euphemia in Area 11. Another of the royal blood on his dirty hands would only add to his kill counts"

But then… something snapped in Nunnally's mind. It was true that she still had hopes that Lelouch was still alive but hearing that Zero was an enemy of Britannia disheartened her. There was a good chance that he may already be dead but she didn't want to believe in that. She wanted to believe that somewhere out there waiting for her.

With renewed vigor… she opened her mouth. "Lord Bismarck…" the one eyed knight turned to the blind princess with little interest. "I would like to make a request to the emperor…" a round gasps echoed the room. Odysseus held his breath in disbelief, Karine covered her mouth to stop herself from speaking and even Schneizel himself turned his unshakable gaze to the poor girl with a brow raised in interest. "Before he begins his campaign to invade the U.F.N borders we should at least send an envoy to protect to continue with the negotiation. I am sure that we can come to terms with the senate members there"

Bismarck underestimated the young princess. He thought of her to be nothing more but a child who had been given power but now he realized that this crippled girl had enough courage in her heart to stand against her father's wishes.

"Now you're just being hardheaded Nunnally" Guinevere added recovering from her earlier state of shock. "Even if the emperor did agree to your outrageous request, who will be the one to lead the peace talks? Hmm? Schneizel has already volunteered to command our forces in Germany and the Knights of the Round are being assembled for this campaign. Odysseus is already busy with the peace talk with the E.U. as well. Not to mention that he needs to stay here to act as sub minister of the national guards"

Nunnally braced herself against those words like a leaf bending from a typhoon storm. Her invisible gaze turned to her closest ally, Odysseus but no words could come out of his mouth. And so with a heavy heart, the girl spoke again. "I will do it… (Huh?) I will personally go to the U.F.N consulate and negotiate a peace treaty with them"

"Nunnally!" Odysseus stood up from his seat. "Surely you must be joking. You're the minister of the National Guard here in Pendragon. You can't abandon your duties and go on this crusade. If you go to the Black Knights, they'll surely capture you!"

"I know the risk brother Odysseus" the child smiled at him thanking him silently for his continued support. "But I simply cannot sit idly by and watch as people continue to kill each other for reason such as hate"

"Nunnally…"

A small urge of irritating murmurs and groans echoed around the room, some seeing this event as nothing more but a naïve child's dream of a peaceful world. But those murmurs quickly died down when the 2nd Prince stood up from his seat with a smile appearing on his face.

"Very well then… (Huh?)" all eyes turned to the prime minister who spoke out suddenly in support of the blind princess. "Nunnally vi Britannia, you have inspired me today with your words. Never before have I seen a spirit such as you with such resolve to even speak against our father's commands. I Schneizel, 2nd prince of the realm gladly pledge myself to your cause. I will immediately arrange an audience with the emperor and grant you permission to commence peace talk with the dignitaries of the U.F.N"

"Brother Schneizel" Odysseus looked up slightly in awe.

"Please Odysseus" the 2nd prince raised his hand in gesture to let him finish. "This is the first time I have ever been moved by such words and I believe that if peace reigns then we can finally focus on rebuilding our land rather than conquering more. You have my full support in this"

"Schneizel, you can't be serious!" Guinevere spoke up only to be silence by his charismatic eyes.

"I am as serious as I can be, sister. This young girl is offering a chance of peace and as prime minister, I can only agree to her ideas"

"Thank you, brother Schneizel…" Nunnally looked up to the man following only the sound of his voice. "But I do not intend to go alone. I wish to have one advisor accompany me on this mission"

"Of course! I will personally draw out a list of candidates who will accompany you to Horai Island"

"I appreciate your offer brother, but I already have a person in mind" the blind princess raised her hand in refusal. "Someone who shares my point of view and has long been a supporter of a coexistence with Britannia and other nations"

**(Lamperouge Estate)**

"Hachoo!" Lelouch let out a sneeze quietly blowing the bad spirits away with a silent prayer. _"Ugh… my immune system can't seem to sustain itself. Going from one continent to another at such a short time is really messing up my internal wellness"_

"Lelouch!" Milly yelled out forcefully pulling the boy out of his trance. "Are you listening to a thing I'm saying? (Huh?) It's not like you to dose off like that. I know that my lectures can be boring but at least have the courtesy of letting me finish first"

"Sorry about that. Please go on"

"Well… as I was saying. I was planning on holding a food contest for this Christmas Festival at school. The gardening club, and cooking club all agreed to this and even the motor club want a piece of the action"

"I'm not sure I can agree with that prez" Shirley replied looking at the president with her good eye. "As an athlete I'm not allowed to eat too much because of the upcoming competition with the other school"

"Oh come on now Shirley. You have to add some meat into that body of yours or else you'll literally be nothing but skin and bones"

Nina chuckled at this. A part of her remembering how Milly constantly bickered to her subordinates about making the school festival a big thing. "I see you still haven't lost your touch on festivals Milly"

"I take that as a compliment"

"That's quite a wild event Milly" Rolo added suddenly earning the attention of the group. "Not even the school director would agree to it. Such a show could even shut down the school if the board of education finds out about this"

"I agree" Rivalz paled. "Wouldn't it also drain half of our school funding to support something that big? The cost of ingredients and not to mention the livestock needed for all the chefs"

"That's because she doesn't intend to use the school funding" Lelouch deduced just by looking at the woman's smirk. "You're planning to use my area of the school to supply your campaign, aren't you?"

"Oh don't worry about it" Milly grinned teasingly at him. "I plan to compensate you for every penny you lose. You're already attracting a lot of customers with your shops and stalls built right next to school. Think of the profit that will come after. Besides, it will be a mutual thing. You'll provide the supplies and the students will do all the work and after that we'll split the income 50/50"

Lelouch thought for a moment looking at the plan Milly laid out. Surprisingly, it did seem like a good plan. He would only be charged for the supplies of ingredients and the school will provide the manpower needed for the event. Not only would this cover his operations around school he could also ask some of the school faculties to participate as well. Heck, he even planned to let Viletta join the swim club café that Shirley always wanted.

"Alright, I'll concede" he said finally earning a positive noise from the group. "I'll set up the deal with some of the farmers around my land and Pendragon. I'll have it delivered to school by next week"

"Yes! Lelouch, I owe you big time"

"You do owe me a lot…" he grumbled.

"Well that shouldn't be too troubling for you, friend of royalty" Rivalz nudged the boy on the side earning a confused look from the dark prince. "Don't forget that you have some influence with the royal family. Shaking hands with the prince and princess. You're moving up in the world, aren't ya?"

Nina's eyes widened a bit. "Oh, you mean the funding for the local police force in Pendragon. I saw that on the news the other day. Very admirable"

"Don't say that he's better than you Nina" Milly stated suddenly. "What about you Ms. Big Shot? Being Prince Schneizel's personal researcher must be really rewarding. He even made you Duchess of a small patch of land"

"H… how'd you know about that?" Nina blushed. Even this information seemed to have caught Lelouch's interest. "That was supposed to be top secret"

"Oh it wasn't a big secret. It was all over the net. Even a girl like me has an interest in royal gossips"

"A head researcher aye?" Lelouch sharpened his eyes in interest. "That's quite a feat. I may be asking things out of my jurisdiction but can you share us anything on what the prince has you developing? Surely you must've made something that caught his interest"

"Sorry but that's classified information" Nina replied playfully which the boy played along with.

"I bet it's the kind of secret where that if they tell you then they have to kill you" Rivalz added.

And so the party of the old student council went on without a hitch. Lelouch enjoyed most of the celebration as well except for the time he had to cover Nina up to hide her from speaking Nunnally's name. Little did he know that his troubles were only just starting.

After the party died down and the servants retiring for the night, Lelouch decided to use this opportunity to find out more about Nina. Sensing a golden opportunity of discovering Schneizel's plans he had to sway the green haired girl to his side. He knew Nina was a member of Schneizel's personal entourage but he never thought of her to be an important figure until now. This little bit of information far paid the price for the ingredients that Lelouch had to give to Milly. He took a mental note to look into the royal gossips more often for more dirt.

The boy conflicted with himself for a few hours in his room, formulating a plan to get Nina to spill at least a portion of her research but all attempts seemed futile as the dark prince has made a small pledge with himself not to use his friends as tools.

Later that night when Lelouch thought to clear his head with a bit of a drink from the kitchen he noticed the green haired girl that he was thinking about sitting by the balcony overlooking his giant pool. Surprisingly, Nina appeared to be grooming Arthur, the cat who somehow manages to mysteriously appear from time to time.

"Nina?" the bespectacled scientist jerked back at the call of her name. "What are you doing out here so late? I thought for a girl with your metabolism you'd be asleep by now"

"Oh… sorry Lelouch" the girl apologized returning to pet the little cat by the balcony. "I couldn't sleep so I thought a little walk around the house might help. You're mansion is so much bigger than mine"

"Well I have invested a lot in the neighboring land after all" Lelouch joined the girl leaning beside her scratching Arthur by the neck in which the little feline creature purred calmly in response. "So how are you feeling? (Hmm?) Being a Duchess must be quite difficult considering your circumstances"

"Well… it's kind of lonely but I get used to it. After all, I wasn't exactly the social type back in Area 11. Even back then my focus remained on my studies and the only friends I had were you, Milly and the student council"

Lelouch simply laughed inwardly to himself. "Heh. I guess you and I have that in common. (Huh?) We tend to keep to ourselves and never associate with people outside of our circle. It can be a mixture of a blessing and a curse. (Lelouch…) By isolating ourselves we make sure that no one can possibly hurt us and in turn… we make sure that we won't be able to hurt them. A self confinement. If you think of it that way, the good side of this self built prison outweighs the bad"

Nina gazed at the young boy as he poured his feelings on their relation. "From the way you say it… it makes me feel sad" she turned her gaze to the crescent moon which shone rather calmly that night. Like a personal nightlight for all to see. "For me, I kept myself away from others because I wanted to be alone. The only thing that mattered to me was my research and my studies. But then Princess Euphemia taught me that I was special in my own way"

The dark prince then recalled a conversation he had with Milly one day. He remembered that Nina had a close attachment with the princess and had admired her since the hotel jacking back in Japan. He quickly put this to his advantage to build a foundation between them. "Is that why you became a scientist? (Hmm?) To take your anger out on Zero?"

Nina seemed disheartened and a bit ashamed of herself but she recalled that Lelouch was an extremely sharp person and could detect a lie a mile away and that alone was an understatement.

"When I returned to the homeland… all I could believe in was my hatred. In all my life now I wanted nothing more but to destroy Zero. For a whole year, it was probably the only thing that kept me going"

"Vengeance is a powerful feeling" the elder Lamperouge stated knowing well that feeling of hatred and anger. "It feeds your hunger for a purpose. It makes you stronger, faster and places your mind in a state of trance. But once that feeling disappear it creates a vacuum in you that you'll find difficult to fill"

Nina nodded, agreeing to his answer. "Yeah… I guess that's one way to describe it" she turned her gaze to Arthur and rubbed his cheeks lovingly. "I used to hate Zero… I despised him, I even thought that if I could get close enough I would have a chance to avenge Princess Euphemia. But now… for some reason… I feel like that anger has left me"

"That's a sign of moving on. (Huh?) I'll agree… there are times when even I want to go to the past. Life was so much simpler and peaceful back then. But in the end… time will not wait for you. It will move on… with… or without you"

For the first time in weeks, Nina let out a true genuine smile come out of her lips. Her eyes darted from Arthur to Lelouch's purple eyes. The boy looked back making the young genius yelp out in surprise. She never once thought of Lelouch to be more than an acquaintance to her but after today… she appeared to have grown closer to him. It was as if he understood how she felt truly… unlike those who claimed to have knowledge of her feelings.

"By the way Lelouch. (Hmm?) Something still bothers me. Your sister was Nunnally vi Britannia isn't it?"

The boy flinched quickly remembering the woman who was not Geassed by the emperor. "Y… yeah?"

"Then if that's true… doesn't that make you a member of the royal family?"

Lelouch was then quick to analyze Nina's knowledge. _"I see… so she knows Nunnally only as a member of the royal family. That's no surprise seeing that neither of us had made any debut when we were in Aries Villa. She wouldn't know of Lelouch vi Britannia… only Lelouch Lamperouge instead. This will greatly complicate things. But if I play my cards right then I can use this situation to my advantage"_

"It's a long story really" he began, making things up as they go. "I'm not really a close member of the royal family but I am a part of it. They pretend that I don't exist so you won't find anything about me in their roster. As for Nunnally, she was found by the emperor and was given the position of minister of the national guards. Because of that, Milly and the other members of the student council decided to protect her reputation by denying she ever came to Ashford Academy. If anyone found out that she was studying with the commoners it may discredit her position"

"Is that so?"

"Yes… we all decided on it. As for me… well I…" But before Lelouch could continue, Arthur suddenly stood up from his comfy position and hissed at the new presence that arrived. "Hey. What's wrong Arthur?"

The two looked behind them and noticed Shirley standing there, eye patch in place on her left eye. "Oh… sorry… was I interrupting?" she asked innocently sticking her tongue out playfully. "I didn't mean to eaves drop… I just couldn't help myself"

"Shirley?" Lelouch raised a brow in curiosity. "Don't tell me you couldn't sleep either"

"Yeah… I was out to get some water from the kitchen when I saw you two by the balcony. Sorry if I was disrupting something important"

"Not at all" the boy waved it off. "We were just reminiscing of the old times. I'll ask George to fetch something for you"

"That's alright, I can get things myself" the orangette smiled. "Besides, I wouldn't want to be spoiled like you, Lulu"

"Hissssss!" Arthur hissed again as the woman took a step closer to them.

"Hey, what's with Arthur?" Nina asked, looking strangely at the cat which seemed to bear some strange distrust with the woman in front of them. "I've never heard him do that before"

"It's probably the cologne I have on me. I guess it doesn't like the smell" Shirley suggested, sniffing her shirt. "Hey Lulu (Hmm?) There's something I wanted to talk with you about but I see that you're busy. Maybe after school then"

"If it's something important, then maybe you should say it"

"Well… I guess there's no harm in trying but…"

But before Shirley could continue, Sayoko, who was still in her disguise interrupted the conversation. "Master Lelouch. Forgive the interruption but you have a phone call waiting for you. It's from your business clients" Lelouch knew immediately that it was a call from the Black Knights. If it wasn't something of great importance, Sayoko wouldn't have come herself.

"I see… another time then" Lelouch nodded giving both the girls in the balcony a silent farewell before following the ninja in disguise to the computer room at the boiler room. Shirley nodded to this and withdrew herself from the scene hiding a rather sharp object within the sleeve of her shirt.


End file.
